ISLAMABAD: India’s Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is facing backlash after a video went viral showing him pulling down a Muslim woman’s hijab (veil) at a government function in Bihar on Monday.
The incident occurred at the Bihar Chief Minister’s secretariat, known as Samvad, during a ceremony attended by newly appointed doctors.
Among the 1,283 appointees were 685 Ayurvedic practitioners, 393 homeopathic doctors, and 205 Unani medicine specialists, Indian media reported.
While most appointment letters were issued online, ten individuals, including Nusrat Parveen, received their letters directly from the Chief Minister, according to Indian media.
As Nusrat Parveen approached the stage to receive her appointment letter, the Chief Minister appeared taken aback by her hijab, which partially covered her face.
Indian media reports said he exclaimed, “What is this?” before reaching out and pulling the hijab aside.
The video quickly went viral, triggering a wave of reactions on social media.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) strongly criticized the chief minister, questioning his mental health and describing his condition as “pitiable.”
“What has happened to Nitish ji? Has his mental state reached a completely pitiable condition, or has Nitish Babu become 100 per cent Sanghi now?” the party said in a post.
“The removal of the hijab from a Muslim woman’s face clearly reflects the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s attitude toward the Muslim community,” Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) spokesperson Ejaz Ahmed said on X.
Public reaction
Following the incident, a strong backlash erupted on social media, with users condemning the chief minister and accusing him of harboring hatred toward India’s Muslim community.
Ashok Swain, an academic and professor at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University in Sweden, criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, calling the incident an example of misogyny and Islamophobia.
“Modi’s key ally and Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, forcibly pulls down the veil of a Muslim lady doctor while giving her an appointment letter. In Modi’s India, misogyny and Islamophobia have official sanction!” he wrote on X.
Samajwadi Party Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Ravidas Mehrotra, speaking to the media, said the incident showed that the Bihar Chief Minister was not mentally stable.
“This incident clearly shows that the Chief Minister of Bihar is not mentally stable. After this incident, he has no moral right to remain in the post of Chief Minister even for a single day,” he said.
Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi also raised the issue on X, describing the incident as “indefensible and deeply disturbing.”
“He owes the woman and the public an unconditional apology. This erratic conduct is alarming and points to a man who no longer possesses the composure or mental clarity required for constitutional office. Seeking medical attention and stepping aside is necessary,” he added.
India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress (INC), also condemned the incident on its official X account, questioning the safety of women in Bihar and calling on the Chief Minister to resign.
“Look at his shamelessness—a female doctor had come to collect her appointment letter, and Nitish Kumar pulled off her hijab,” the party said.
“Nitish Kumar should immediately resign for this disgusting behaviour. This vileness is unforgivable,” it added.
