1. Khagen Murmu, a BJP candidate from North Malda, Bengal, sparked controversy by kissing a woman during a campaign.
2. The incident took place in Srihipur village of Chanchal while Murmu was campaigning.
3. Photos of the kiss circulated widely on social media, triggering a heated debate.
Kolkata, April 10: BJP candidate Khagen Murmu from North Malda constituency of West Bengal sparked controversy when a photo of him kissing a woman on the cheek during a campaign went viral.
The incident occurred in Srihipur village of Chanchal while Murmu was campaigning.
The photo circulated widely on social media platforms, drawing criticism from Trinamool Congress (TMC), who accused the BJP of harboring anti-women sentiments.
If you cannot believe what you just saw, let us clarify. Yes, this is BJP MP & Maldaha Uttar candidate @khagen_murmu kissing a woman on his own accord on his campaign trail.
From MPs that sexually harass women wrestlers to leaders who make obscene songs about Bengali women, BJP… pic.twitter.com/f0PKdaDDn5
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) April 9, 2024
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TMC, via Twitter, condemned the act, highlighting previous instances of alleged misconduct by BJP members towards women.
They criticized the BJP’s treatment of women and questioned how they would behave if in power.
Dulal Sarkar, TMC’s Malda district vice president, denounced the incident, deeming it incompatible with Bengali culture and raising concerns about the BJP’s mindset.
In response, Murmu defended his actions, asserting that the woman is like his daughter, dismissing any wrongdoing. He accused TMC of orchestrating a smear campaign against him and threatened to file a complaint against them.
The woman involved also came forward to support Murmu, stating that there was nothing inappropriate about the gesture as Murmu regards her as his daughter. She criticized those circulating the photo, attributing it to a perverse mindset.
Despite Murmu and the woman’s explanations, the incident has sparked a heated debate over appropriate behavior during political campaigns and raised questions about gender dynamics within political parties.
