Panaji, Oct 14 (IANS): The Goa Women's Congress on Saturday demanded an apology from Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani for making allegations of sexual nature against Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and said they would be filing a defamation suit against Irani.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Women's Congress state chief Pratima Coutinho said Irani had cast aspersions of sexual harassment nature on the Gandhi scion.

"We demand an apology and we will be very soon filing a defamation case on her," Coutinho said.

Coutinho also quoted a recent TV interview of Irani on national news channel (TimesNow), where Irani was quoted as saying: "Under the watchful eyes of Rahul Gandhi, just to get a ticket, women candidates have to give sexual favours..."

In fact, Irani in the same October 10 interview had also said that the charge was made "by the Congress candidates themselves", a line which was omitted by Coutinho at the press conference.