Viral video of BJP's Khagen Murmu shows him kissing a woman during campaign trail, sparks row

Sharing screen grabs from the viral video, the Trinamool has accused the BJP leaders of being anti-women.

"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," said the Trinamool.

The woman, however, said the same was an "act of affection" while speaking to a local TV channel.

"What's the problem if a person of my father's age shows his affection towards me and plants a kiss on my cheeks? Why do people have such a dirty mindset? There's nothing wrong with it," she said.

Murmu, a former CPM MLA who joined the BJP in 2019,defended his act saying the woman is like "his child".

The incident reportedly occurred on Monday when Murmu was campaigning in his Maldaha Uttar constituency.

The Trinamool, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, also accused the BJP politicians of being anti-women.

"From MPs that sexually harass women 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," the party said referring to BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh accused of sexually assaulting woman wrestlers.