Panaji, April 16 (IANS) A poem about a sex worker written by Goa Congress vice president and award-winning writer N. Shivdas has sparked outrage among women's groups here.

Several women's groups, including one headed by former chairperson of the Goa State Women's Commission (GSWC) Pramod Salgaonkar, have said the poem titled "Chedi", or sex worker in Konkani, was "a vulgar poem which insults womanhood".

Shivdas, however, says it was written 25 years ago when he was in the flush of youth and he regrets the title.

"Not only is the title of the poem verbally abusive of women, but it is also derogatory. Even a court does not call a 'sex worker' a prostitute. The poem is extremely vulgar and has insulted women living in Goa and elsewhere," Salgaonkar told IANS.

The poem is part of an anthology of poems published earlier this week.

Salgaonkar, who has been supported by other women activists like Auda Veigas convenor of the Bailancho Saad, among others, has also demanded government intervention.

"The book should be withdrawn from the market. The page containing the poem should also be removed. The government should not give the writer (Shivdas) any financial assistance in future," Salgaonkar said.

Speaking to IANS, Shivdas, president of the state government funded-Goa Konkani Akademi (GKA), said if women in Goa felt insulted by the poem he was willing to change the title.

"It was written 25 years ago, in the flush of youth. I realise now that the title 'Chedi' could hurt the feelings of women. If they want me to drop the title, I am willing to," Shivdas, 65, said.

Shivdas also said the word "chedi" was commonly used in the Konkani language. "The character in the poem exists not only in Goa, but everywhere in the world. And in Konkani, 'chedi' is a word commonly used to say prostitute," Shivdas said.