Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ignited a major political firestorm on Monday after a video showed him pulling down the hijab of a woman doctor during a public appointment letter distribution ceremony. The incident, which occurred at the Chief Minister's residence in Patna, has drawn sharp condemnation from opposition parties, raising questions about Kumar's conduct and triggering a debate on dignity and personal choice.
The Controversial Incident: What Exactly Happened?
The event was organized to distribute appointment letters to newly recruited AYUSH doctors. According to the Chief Minister's Office, the appointees included 685 Ayurveda doctors, 393 homeopaths, and 205 practitioners of the Unani system of medicine. While most received their letters online, ten appointees were present to collect them in person.
When it was the turn of Nusrat Parveen, who had arrived with her face covered by a hijab, Nitish Kumar frowned and exclaimed, "What is this?" Standing on a raised platform, the Chief Minister then bent down and pulled her hijab down. The visibly flustered doctor was quickly pulled aside by an official. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who was standing beside Kumar, was seen tugging at his sleeve in an apparent attempt to restrain him.
Political Backlash and Condemnation
The opposition reacted swiftly and fiercely to the visuals, which were shared widely on social media, including by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The RJD posted the video on X with a scathing comment, questioning, "What has happened to Nitish Ji? Has his mental state completely deteriorated, or has Nitish Babu now become a 100 per cent member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh?"
RJD MP Manoj Jha called the visuals "unsettling" and a matter of serious concern. "I have seen the visuals and they were unsettling. The Deputy CM even tried to stop him. It should be a matter of concern. As someone who has grown up in Bihar, I am worried that such visuals do not give a good message and raise several doubts," Jha stated.
The Congress party launched a direct attack, labeling Kumar's act as "vile" and demanding his immediate resignation. In a post on X, the party said, "A man occupying the highest position in Bihar is openly indulging in such a vile act... Nitish Kumar should immediately resign for this disgusting behaviour. This vileness is unforgivable." Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat accused the CM of violating traditions and faith, stating that treating a woman in such a manner was condemnable.
Broader Reactions on Dignity and Choice
Criticism poured in from various quarters, focusing on the infringement of personal dignity and choice. Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi strongly criticized the act, emphasizing that no one should be allowed to publicly humiliate an adult woman for her choice of dress.
She wrote on X, "It is her dignity and knowledge of being an equal that makes her stand there to receive the acknowledgement she deserves. No father figure, CM, PM, brother or husband should be allowed to publicly humiliate an adult, educated woman for her choice of dress."
The incident has shifted the political discourse in Bihar, with the opposition seizing the opportunity to question the Chief Minister's judgment and the message such an action sends about the state's governance and respect for individual rights. The controversy comes at a sensitive time, putting the spotlight firmly back on Nitish Kumar's public conduct.
