Post 'kissing competition', Jharkhand govt orders probe, JMM MLA backs the competition

Jharkhand government orders probe into the 'kissing competition'. BJP calls the competition 'an attempt to ruin Santhal culture'

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Chief minister of Jharkhand Raghubar Das (File Photo)
Chief minister of Jharkhand Raghubar Das (File Photo)

After the lip locking competition, a controversy brews in the otherwise sleepy Jharkhand with the Raghubar Das government asking Pakur district administration to probe the kissing contest held at the traditional Sidho- Kanho Mela on Sunday evening.

The kissing contest was held for Santhal couples. Nearly 20 pairs had participated in the remote Littipara block of Pakur district, some 375 km from State Capital Ranchi. Among others, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) veteran MLA Simon Marandi was present on the occasion and lauded the initiative as '"one which will go a long way in strengthening the mutual bond among Santhal couples' The top three "winning couples" were rewarded with cash prizes of Rs 900, Rs 700 and Rs 500 after the first- of- its- kind event.

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A day after a nod from Ranchi,Pakur district administration assigned a deputy Superintendent of Police and a Sub-divisional Magistrate to probe the issue. According to preliminary inputs, the district administration may institute a case against the participants and organizers of the event including the JMM MLA for indecent behaviour in public place.

An unrepentant Marandi has offered a logic to defend the kissing contest. He believes such events will bring openness in the society, but he failed to explain how the kissing competition would change moral ideas of the society.

While the ruling BJP has played a perfect moral police, demanding strong actions against the JMM MLA over this " vulgarity " and staging protests, opposition parties like RJD have refused to defend the event. RJD Jharkhand President Annupurna Devi has criticized the event as ' unjustified and unbecoming of Indian culture'. Besides Simon Marandi, JMM MLA from Maheshpur Stephen Marandi, JMM Pakur district unit chief Shyam Yadav and a host of local JMM leaders attended the event. BJP termed it a strategy to 'ruin Santhal culture and convert ignorant tribals into Christianity'.

BJP farmers' wing and All Adivasi Youth and Students Union (AAYSU) on Tuesday staged demonstrations and burnt effigies of Simon Marandi .

BJP State Vice President Hemlal Murmu, who lost to Simon Marnadi in a by- poll held this year has attacked Marandi and JMM for twisting Santhal tradition in the name of Siddo and Kanu, both tribal icons. Santhal Paragnas, located in the north eastern part of Jharkhand, has three Lok Sabha and 18 Vidhan Sabha seats spread across six districts. It is known as a stronghold of BJP's archrival JMM.