A video showing BJP leader Amar Kishore Kashyap indulging in an “inappropriate act” with a woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda, has gone viral on social media, prompting the party to issue a show-cause notice to him and seeking a written explanation within a week.

In the video reportedly recorded on April 12 through CCTV cameras installed at the BJP district office, Kashyap, who is the BJP Gonda unit chief, is seen climbing the stairs with the woman. He then appears to make “inappropriate advances” towards the woman, by hugging her before he climbs the stairs again, while she follows him.

Reacting to the viral clip, Kashyap, however, claimed that the woman, who is said to be a BJP worker, was feeling unwell and that he held her to support her. He asserted that the footage was aimed at maligning his name by his political opponents.

“The woman in the video is a party worker. She was feeling unwell on that day and had requested a place to rest. I took her to the office. While climbing the stairs, she felt dizzy, and I held her to support her. The footage is being misused to malign me,” he was quoted by saying by news agency PTI.

A party worker termed the video “shameful” and filed a formal complaint with the BJP leadership.

Following the controversy, the BJP’s state general secretary, Govind Narayan Shukla, issued a show-cause notice to Kashyap, according to PTI. “The video circulated on social media has brought to light conduct that negatively impacts the party’s reputation and falls under the category of indiscipline,” the notice read.

“In accordance with the instructions of the state president, you are hereby asked to submit a written explanation to the BJP state office within seven days. Failure to provide a satisfactory response in the stipulated time will invite strict disciplinary action,” it said.

(with inputs from Anchal Srivastava and PTI)