Pulling veil by Bihar CM condemnable, ‘foolish’ act: Indian Muslim lawmaker

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: An Indian Muslim lawmaker has condemned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for pulling down the hijab of a Muslim woman doctor during an official ceremony, describing the act as “foolish” and “condemnable,” amid growing concern over India’s treatment of religious minorities.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV Digital, Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Tariq Anwar said the incident was unacceptable but suggested it may have been linked to what he described as the chief minister’s ongoing neurological or mental health issues.

He added that Kumar had previously been criticized for similar conduct and was reportedly undergoing medical treatment, while maintaining there was no history of him intentionally targeting Muslims.

“It has been said for the last several months that he has some neurological and mental problems,” Anwar said. “However, if anyone commits such an act, it is certainly wrong.”

“We do not appreciate it; rather, we condemn the incident.”

The controversy erupted earlier this week during an appointment ceremony at the Bihar Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Samvad, where newly recruited doctors were receiving appointment letters. Indian media reported that 1,283 doctors were appointed, including practitioners of Ayurveda, homeopathy, and Unani medicine.

As Nusrat Parveen, a newly appointed Unani doctor, stepped forward to receive her letter, Kumar appeared startled by her hijab, which partially covered her face, and reached out to pull it down. A video of the moment quickly went viral, triggering widespread outrage and renewed debate over minority rights and intolerance in public life.

Anwar said the chief minister’s conduct appeared to be the result of illness or medical treatment and reiterated that there had never been any complaint of Kumar intentionally committing such an act. Nevertheless, he stressed that the incident was “not right” and remained condemnable.

Opposition parties were far less charitable. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Kumar’s former ally, publicly questioned his fitness to govern. “What has happened to Nitish ji? Has his mental state reached a completely pitiable condition, or has Nitish Babu become 100% Sanghi now?” the party said in a post on X.

RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmed framed the episode as part of a broader pattern. “The removal of the hijab from a Muslim woman’s face clearly reflects the National Democratic Alliance government’s mindset toward the Muslim community,” he said.

The incident also drew criticism from politicians and academics, who described it as further evidence of a shrinking space for minorities in India. Ashok Swain, a professor at Uppsala University in Sweden, linked the episode to the political climate under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Modi’s key ally and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar forcibly pulls down the veil of a Muslim woman doctor while handing her an appointment letter,” Swain wrote on X. “In Modi’s India, misogyny and Islamophobia have official sanction.”

Samajwadi Party MLA Ravidas Mehrotra said the act disqualified Kumar from holding office. “This incident clearly shows that the Chief Minister of Bihar is not mentally stable,” he said. “After this, he has no moral right to remain in office even for a single day.”

Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi described the conduct as “indefensible and deeply disturbing,” calling for accountability.

“He owes the woman and the public an unconditional apology,” Mehdi said. “This erratic conduct is alarming and raises serious concerns about his capacity to hold constitutional office.”

India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, also demanded Kumar’s resignation, raising questions about women’s safety and Muslim dignity in Bihar.

“Look at his shamelessness, a female doctor had come to collect her appointment letter, and Nitish Kumar pulled off her hijab,” the party said. “This vileness is unforgivable.”

For critics, the episode is not an isolated lapse but a stark illustration of how Muslim identity is increasingly treated as a provocation in India’s public sphere, where even state ceremonies are no longer free from humiliation and coercion.