A fresh row was triggered after BJP MP and party's Lok Sabha candidate from Bengal's North Malda constituency, Khagen Murmu, was pictured kissing a woman on the cheek during the election campaign in West Bengal. The incident took place on Monday when the saffron party candidate was campaigning in Srihipur village of Chanchal, in his parliamentary constituency. The image of Khagen Murmu kissing the woman surfaced on social media and were being shared widely.
The Trinamool Congress slammed the BJP over the incident, saying that the saffron camp has no dearth of anti-women politicians. In a post on X, TMC said, "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, the BJP camp has no dearth of anti-women politicians. This is how Modi Ka Parivar engages in Nari Ka Samman! Imagine what they would do if they came to power," the ruling party of Bengal wrote on the micro-blogging site.”
Amid the backlash, Khagen Murmu justified the kiss, saying the woman is like "his child." "There is nothing wrong with kissing a child. This is a complete grassroots conspiracy. They have such bad values," the BJP candidate said, as quoted by India Today. He further stated that a complaint would be filed against the TMC pertaining to their comments on the kissing incident. "Parties and individuals are being defamed by distorting such pictures," Khagen Murmu said, as quoted by India Today.
The girl in question also defended the actions of the saffron party candidate and bashed those who pointed out the obscenity in the viral pictures. The girl said that there was nothing wrong if a man kissed a woman like his daughter.
"If a man kisses a woman like his own daughter, what is the problem with that? People who are making such incidents viral on social media have a dirty mentality. Khagen Murmu loves me like a daughter. My father and mother were also present when the picture was taken," the woman said, as quoted by India Today.