Kolkata: Trinamool Congress leader Swapan Debnath has stoked a controversy by making derogatory remarks against women activists affiliated with Left Party, reports said on Tuesday.

While addressing Trinamool supporters, Debnath said that the women activists of Left party often stoop to such a low level that they tear their own blouses and claim being assaulted.

"CPI (M) women activists tear off their blouse themselves and then blame TMC men for molestation ... CPI(M) women activists are always in the habit of blaming TMC men for molestation but the people know the truth and don't believe them," Debnath, the Animal Resources Development Minister told TMC workers meeting at Baidyapur in Burdwan district yesterday.

Debnath added that when these activists quarrel with their husbands and are attacked, they don't blame them, but instead frame Trinamool members.

On January 1, there was a clash between CPI(M) and TMC activists in Kalna, near Baidyapur and CPI(M) women activists had then alleged that TMC men had molested them during the clash.

This is not the first time a TMC leader has made such a disparaging remark.

In the past too, several leaders have been caught off guard while making objectionable comments in public rallies.

Earlier, Trinamool leader Tapas Pal was caught on camera openly threatening to send `his boys` and get women of Opposition party raped. He was also heard saying that if need be he will not hesitate to use guns against his opponents.

Preposterous and outrageous statements by TMC leaders are nothing new. Infact some would say that it has become a norm.

West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra had threatened to take on his rivals and give them a befitting reply by bullets, bombs and thrashing.

And before that Manirul Islam, TMC MLA from Labhpur, while addressing a party rally had said that if district Congress leader Sabyasachi Dutta did not mend his ways then his head would be cut off.

The list is long. Again last year, on July 17, TMC Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal had supposedly asked partymen to attack policemen with bombs and burn houses of Independent candidates.