Kolkata, Apr 25 (IANS): The BJP's West Bengal unit on Thursday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India against Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee accusing him of making abusive remarks against its candidate Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury, popularly known as Nirbhaya Didi.

The state BJP unit sent an e-mail complaint to the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). The state unit of BJP has also released a video where Banerjee was heard calling Mitra Chaudhury, party's candidate from Maladaha-Dakshin in Malda district, as 'behaya' (shameless).

"Abhishek Banerjee's disgusting tirade against Sreerupa Mitra Chowdhury, resorting to abusive slurs like 'BEHAYA', epitomises the toxic culture of misogyny and disrespect rampant in Bengal. It's a shameful reflection of his party's values," the state unit of BJP said in a statement.

It has also appealed to the poll panel to bar Banerjee from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.

However, issuing a counter statement, Trinamool Congress said, "The BJP whose leaders from top to bottom use the most shameful remarks for women, daily, should be the last one to speak on the dignity of the fair sex."

"Oh, the irony! Those who indulge in gratuitous use of hate speech and attack the only female CM in India in the most foul and derogatory language imaginable are now delivering sermons on 'Nari Samman," Trinamool Congress said.

"We're not taking lectures from degenerates who don't know the first thing about respectful discourse!" the Trinamool Congress said.