Controversy Surrounds BJP Candidate Khagen Murmu For Kissing Woman During Campaign In West Bengal's Malda

According to India Today, TMC’s Malda vice president Dulal Sarkar condemned the incident, stating that it was contrary to “Bengali culture.” He raised concerns about the appropriateness of such an act while the candidate was “begging for votes.” Murmu did not refute the incident; instead, he remarked that the girl was like his child

Reports indicate that the incident took place on Monday while Murmu was campaigning in Srihipur village, Chanchal, West Bengal. Khagen Murmu, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the Malda Uttar constituency in West Bengal, stirred controversy when images of him kissing a woman on her cheeks during a campaign went viral on Wednesday. The incident was captured during a live stream of the campaign, initially shared on the BJP candidate’s Facebook page but subsequently removed.

Ruling Trinamool Congress in the state shared the incident on X and said, “If you cannot believe what you just saw, let us clarify. Yes, this is BJP MP & Maldaha Uttar candidate @khagenmurmu kissing a woman on his own accord on his campaign trail. From MPs that sexually harass ween wrestlers to leaders who make obscene songs about Bengali women; 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.”

According to India Today, TMC’s Malda vice president Dulal Sarkar condemned the incident, stating that it was contrary to “Bengali culture.” He raised concerns about the appropriateness of such an act while the candidate was “begging for votes.” Murmu did not refute the incident; instead, he remarked that the girl was like his child.