Chennai, April 20: Journalists of Tamil Nadu's Chennai city on Friday staged a protest near state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office against party leader S. Ve Shekher's derogatory post shared on social media against a woman journalist.

Shekher on April 19 shared a controversial Facebook post but later removed it with an apology. In the post, Shekhar had reportedly commented that one "can't become a reporter without sleeping with bigwigs".

In the post, now deleted, Shekhar reacting on the apology of Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit for inappropriately touching a woman journalist's face said that the latter should "wash his hand with phenyl" for having touched the woman scribe.

Meanwhile, state journalist fraternities lodged a police complaint against Shekher's derogatory post stating that "it is not only defaming a journalist but is also derogatory to all woman".

Earlier in the day, Shekher tendered an apology for his derogatory remark in the same case. Shekher in a statement said that he posted the remark on the social media site without reading it.

"I had posted it without reading the message. It was removed immediately after my friend pointed it out. If I had hurt anyone, it was not on purpose and I extend my heartfelt apology," Shekher said.

He said he does not endorse the views expressed in the post and added that he comes from a family that respects women. On the other hand, BJP KT Raghavan appreciated Shekher for his apology and said that the matter should be put to rest with it.

He, however, added that party would not advocate these types of things. Shekher earlier stoked a controversy by posting a derogatory remark against women scribes through a Facebook post.

(With inputs from LatestLY web desk)