Kolkata, Sep 16 (IANS): The LGBTQ (Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender-Queer) rights activists on Friday staged a peaceful demonstration in Kolkata's Kalighat area, barely 200m away from the residence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, protesting against Trinamool Congress spokesman Kunal Ghosh's comments equating 'homosexuality' with 'perversion'.

On Thursday, while taking a jibe at leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvenbdu Adhikari, Ghosh had said that one leader, who is a 'homosexual' and 'pervert', tried to approach one of his bodyguards with his perverse sexual advances and later that bodyguard was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Protesting against Ghosh's remarks, a group of queer activists under the leadership of former member of the West Bengal Transgender Development Board, Ranjita Sinha, gathered near the Chief Minister's residence on Friday afternoon.

Sinha told mediapersons that Ghosh's comment is a grave insult to the people belonging to the LGBTQ community.

"Such comments are inacceptable from a person who represents a political party as its spokesperson. As a party spokesman, he should speak on behalf of all the communities. There is a transgender development board in the state. But it has just remained in paper and has not taken any step for the development and welfare of the queer community people. In such a situation, such comments from Kunal Ghosh have rubbed salt in the wound," Sinha said.

She added that they would also send a deputation to the Chief Minister on this count.

"I would like to use this opportunity to raise a demand to the Chief Minister to consider reservation for eligible people from the community in fresh state government recruitments," Sinha said.