A political controversy has erupted in Bihar after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was seen removing the hijab of a woman doctor during a public function. The incident, which took place on Monday, has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, even as a state minister came out in strong defence of the Chief Minister's actions.
Minister's Defence: A Gesture of Fatherly Care
Bihar's Minority Affairs Minister, Zama Khan, addressed the issue on Tuesday, rejecting the criticism and offering a personal interpretation of the event. Khan stated that the Chief Minister, being older than the woman's father, acted out of paternal affection. "I have a daughter, and I could sense the fatherly affection he had expressed," Khan said, attempting to contextualise Kumar's behaviour.
He further argued that the Chief Minister's intention was to highlight the progress of girls from minority communities in Bihar. "The CM had simply tried to highlight the fact that girls of the minority community, too, are making progress in Bihar," Khan explained. He accused critics of having a "twisted mindset" and pointed to the recent landslide victory of the NDA in the state assembly polls under Kumar's leadership as a testament to his popular support.
The Incident and Immediate Fallout
The episode occurred at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Patna on Monday during a programme to distribute appointment letters to newly recruited AYUSH doctors. More than 1,000 doctors were appointed at the event. When one of the appointees, Dr. Nusrat Parveen, stepped forward to receive her letter directly from Kumar, the Chief Minister noticed her veil.
According to eyewitnesses, Kumar remarked, "what is this?" before pulling down the hijab, revealing her face. The moment, captured on video, quickly spread across social media and news platforms, triggering the political row.
Opposition Fury and Demand for Resignation
The Congress party launched a fierce attack on Nitish Kumar, labelling his act as "disgusting" and demanding his immediate resignation. In a strongly-worded statement, the party questioned the safety of women in the state under his leadership.
"If a person occupying the highest post in the state behaves in such a disgraceful manner in public, one can only imagine how safe women are in the state," the Congress statement read. The controversy has also led to renewed allegations from political opponents questioning the mental fitness of Nitish Kumar, who is the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar, to govern the state.
The appointment drive itself was a significant event, distributing letters to 1,283 AYUSH doctors. This cohort included 685 Ayurvedic, 393 Homeopathic, and 205 Unani practitioners. Officials confirmed that these newly appointed doctors would be posted at various health institutions under AYUSH Medical Services and the National Health Mission.
As the debate rages, the incident has sparked a broader conversation about personal boundaries, the symbolism of the hijab, and the conduct of public figures. While the state government's ally defends the act as benign, the opposition sees it as a serious infringement, ensuring the issue remains in the political spotlight.
