Yesterday an incident happened at the City of Joy Kolkata’s Kalighat Metro Station has gone viral, sparking a heated debate on public displays of affection (PDA). The video shows that a couple sharing a lip to lip kiss near a pillar, and everyone has different opinions on social media. While everyone argue about this incident that it’s inappropriate in a public place, that is not our culture actually and somebody see it as a harmless expression of love.

Few years ago, during the COVID 19 pandemic situation, strict rules were implemented in public places in everywhere including metro stations. Some rules were prohibited like physical contact such as hugging each other, kissing, and even handshakes to maintain social distancing. However, Pandemic situation goes down and those restrictions now has been lifted, but this kind of incidents have become a matter of social norms rather than legal violations. 

In the video there was a couple kissing each other at the metro station and it has been widely shared online (The authenticity of the video remains unverified by The Daily Hints). This has led to a flurry of opinions by many of peoples, somebodies calling it inappropriate and other ones questioning the outrage. 

Different Public opinions on the social media are very sharply divided: 

Critics: Some peoples believe this kind of public place kissing is really disrespectful and inappropriate in a crowded place like a metro station. A few of those suggested that harsh punishments, saying, “They deserve to be beaten for such behaviour in public.” 

Supporters: Some Peoples are defended to the couple, arguing that the love and the affection should not be policed. One netizen commented on social media, “What’s wrong with expressing love in public place.? We are romanticise it when is happened at iconic locations front of the Eiffel Tower but criticise it when its happened in our own cities.” 

Celebrities and Influencers: Bengali Actress Sreelekha Mitra came to support to the viral kissing couple and saying, “At least they love each other and kissed out of love, it’s not a corruption. Get a life!” 

Public place kissing is not considered as a crime under Indian constitutions, until it violates decency or causes public annoyance. BJP leader and lawyer Tarunjoyti Tiwari highlighted, “Kissing is a natural way to express love. It is not an obscene or illegal until someone feels directly offended.”