Patna: A lawmaker from Jharkhand who held a “kissing contest” in his assembly constituency has been served a show-cause notice by his party after the move invited wide condemnations from various quarters.
The contest was held over the weekend with the claim that such an initiate would promote love among married couples and sort out petty differences among them which ultimately results in separation.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) which is headed by powerful tribal leader Shibu Soren called party lawmaker Simon Marandi to his residence on Tuesday evening and disproved of his move asking married couples to kiss and show their love in public. He also show-caused the lawmaker for the very act and asked him reply within a week.
“The organising of this contest has not conveyed a good message in the society. Such things should not be repeated in future,” the JMM chief told the lawmaker who was also advised to stay away from such functions.
The development comes after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sought to project the contest as an “insult to Indian culture”. “There is no such kissing culture prevalent among the tribals of Jharkhand. There must not be any vulgarity in the name of modernity,” BJP minister Louis Marandi told the media today.
Another BJP minister CP Singh also unleashed a torrent of attacks on the JMM for this move. “Organising a kissing contest is a complete disrespect to the Indian culture and the general masses are angry with it. We feel pity on the JMM,” Singh said.
The JMM hit the headlines after one of its lawmakers Marandi held a kissing contest at tribal-dominated Dumaria village located under Littipada assembly constituency in Pakur district on Saturday. A total of 18 married tribal couples participated in the contest.
During the contest which lasted for an hour at night, the couples were seen in tight embrace, engrossed in open romances and kissing each other in public as thousands of villagers who gathered to watch the contest clapped with merriment. The organisers also gave away prizes to three couples who kissed their wives for long.
