Congress leader gives a flying kiss to his wife. Right wing spins it with false claims.
Claim
How will the country be formed if these kinds of tyrants are in power? How a senior Congress leader greeted a woman member of his party with respect.
Rating
Explanation
A 30-second video has gone viral on social media, alleging that a Congress leader misbehaved at a function to welcome a new woman executive into the party. In the video, the man garlands a woman, then forcibly shaking hands with her and gives her flying kisses. Several users across social media platforms have posted almost identical claims using the same video.
What’s the truth?
In our search, we found another video version of the incident was uploaded on December 29, 2022 by News18 Odia. The video mentions that it is the video of politician Taraprasad Bahinipati.
Upon searching on Taraprasad Bahinipati, we found out that he is MLA for Jeypore constituency of Odisha. He contested on a Congress ticket from Jeypore in 2014 and 2019 before which he contested in Koraput constituencty. Looking at Taraprasad’s facebook page, we found the viral video published on December 28, 2022. Going through the photos in his profile, we found that the woman is seen with Taraprasad in several of the photos at least since 2015.
Upon further search, we found an article published by The Indian Express on 10th June 2023 regarding the removal of Meenakshi Bahinipati as the Congress’ District President for Koraput in Odisha. In that article, it is specified that Meenakshi is the wife of Tara Prasad Bahinipati. Several such articles confirming it can be seen here, here and here.
We searched through the Odisha Legislative Assembly’s website and we were able to confirm that Minakshi Bahinipati is indeed his wife.
You made me realize that my life without you would be like a night sky without stars, dark and empty.#happyvalentinesday2023 pic.twitter.com/vcpoJ58pLB
— Taraprasad Bahinipati / ତାରାପ୍ରସାଦ ବାହିନୀପତି (@bhalubh55) February 14, 2023
Taraprasad Bahinipati also posted on X (Twitter) on Valentine’s Day thanking his wife for being his valentine.
Conclusion:
Claims that a Congress leader welcomed a woman to the party by blowing her a kiss is false. The woman in the video is actually his wife.
