Acclaimed author and activist Banu Mushtaq has strongly criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his act of pulling down a woman's hijab during a public government event, labelling the action as deplorable and a violation of dignity and constitutional norms.
Condemnation of the Patna Incident
Speaking at the Pune Literature Festival organised by the National Book Trust on Friday, December 19, 2025, Mushtaq addressed the controversy that erupted earlier in the week. The incident occurred on December 15 in Patna, where Nitish Kumar was distributing appointment letters to newly recruited AYUSH practitioners. During the ceremony, the Chief Minister pulled down the face covering, a hijab, of a woman practitioner.
While clarifying her personal stance against the practice of women covering their faces, Mushtaq was unequivocal in her condemnation of the Chief Minister's action. "I condemn both the acts," she stated, emphasizing the need for a democratic space in a secular state. "As a Muslim woman, I want my private faith not to clash with the democratic space... One’s face is an identity. There is no religious compulsion to cover the face, yet people still do. It’s a misinterpretation of Islam," she explained.
A Breach of Dignity and Duty
Mushtaq, a lawyer and Booker Prize-winning author, argued that while the CM had a right to verify the identity of the recipient, his method was unacceptable. "He has the right to know that, fine. But this does not mean that he will pull her hijab down. I condemn and deplore that... Dignity, rules and laws, and constitutional duty were not followed," she asserted.
The incident has sparked intense criticism and widespread debate on social media and in political circles over the past week, putting the Bihar Chief Minister's conduct under severe scrutiny.
Contextualising the Seragu Practice
Responding to questions from journalist Vendant Agarwal, Banu Mushtaq provided cultural context to the practice of head covering in India. She highlighted that seragu—draping a saree or cloth over the head—is a widespread custom across regions and religions.
"In North Karnataka, women cover their heads with a pallu, and the ghoonghat is commonplace in North India. The practice has been adopted by people of all religions, like Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism," she noted. She described it as a practical choice for protection against heat, similar to men using handkerchiefs or pethas.
However, Mushtaq drew a clear distinction between choice and coercion. "To wear a pallu or not is a woman’s choice... But I am against the thought process that makes the seragu into a method of silencing women, and it being made out that removing the seragu is a big crime. I am against this concept," she concluded, framing the issue within the larger discourse of women's autonomy and agency.
