Bhopal, May 3 : Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari has been booked for making "derogatory" remarks against state BJP leader Imarti Devi.

Although Patwari has tendered an apology, the BJP leader on Friday lodged an FIR against him at Gwalior's Dabra police station.

The Congress leader has been booked under Section 509 (insult the modesty of any woman) and provisions of Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, said Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Niranjan Sharma.

The alleged offensive statement against Imarti Devi, a staunch supporter of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, was made by Patwari on Thursday when he was speaking to reporters in Gwalior. The Congress leader played on words using the term 'imarti' -- a sweet -- to criticize the BJP leader in response to a reporter's query.

Union Minister Scindia later took to X to condemn Patwari's remark. "These are not just his words, but the mentality of the entire Congress party. Insulting Dalits, especially women, has become the norm of this party. Babasaheb Ambedkar has inspired the women and Dalits of the country to fight for their respect," he posted on X late on Thursday.

On Friday, a group of BJP supporters also staged a protest outside the state Congress chief's residence in Indore.

Patwari, however, maintained that his statement on Imarti Devi, a former minister, was distorted. "One of my statements is being distorted and presented in the wrong context. My intention was only to avoid answering the question. Imarti ji is like my elder sister. An elder sister is like a mother. I express my regret if anyone is still hurt," he said on Friday.

Imarti Devi was among the Congress MLAs who joined the BJP along with Scindia in March 2020, which led to the collapse of the Kamal Nath government in the state.

/IANS