Hijab row: J&K leaders seek action against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar
KINS Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 19 (KINS): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has landed in controversy, with multiple police complaints being filed against him in Jammu and Kashmir after a video went viral showing him pulling aside the veil (Hijab) of a Muslim woman doctor during an official programme in Patna.
The episode has evoked strong political and social reactions in Jammu and Kashmir, where leaders across parties have described the act as an infringement of personal dignity, religious freedom and constitutional rights.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti, daughter of former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, submitted a complaint at Srinagar’s Kothi Bagh police station.
In her complaint, Iltija termed the incident a direct attack on the dignity, autonomy and identity of Muslim women. “Forcibly removing a woman’s Niqab is not merely an insult to one individual but an affront to the self-respect of women across the country. That such behaviour came from someone holding a constitutional position is deeply alarming,” she said, according to news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
She further claimed that the incident has encouraged “anti-social elements,” citing social media videos that allegedly show hijabs being pulled off Muslim women in different parts of the country. “When someone in the highest office behaves this way, it sends a signal that authority can be misused and ethics sidelined,” she said, stating that political power should not place anyone above the law.
Iltija also criticised leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of attempting to defend or normalise the chief minister’s conduct. “The law must be equal for all. Holding the office of chief minister does not grant the right to humiliate or disrespect a woman,” she added.
After filing the complaint, Iltija told reporters that the Bihar chief minister had no authority to “violate the dignity and autonomy of women.” She also targeted Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of politicising a sensitive issue related to women’s dignity.
“Omar Abdullah heads a Muslim-majority region and should have taken a clear and firm stand. Women in Jammu and Kashmir voted with the expectation that their dignity would be protected,” she said.
Although Omar Abdullah has condemned Nitish Kumar’s action, he also referenced a past incident involving Mehbooba Mufti during polling, which drew strong reactions from the PDP.
Issuing a warning, Iltija said Muslim women would strongly resist any such acts in the future. “Any leader who dares to interfere with our veil will be held accountable. Instead of apologising, BJP leaders are making offensive remarks. Had this happened to a Hindu woman by removing her ghunghat, the country would have witnessed massive outrage,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Jammu and Kashmir unit filed a separate complaint at the Bathindi police post in Jammu.
AAP J&K coordinator Yasir Mattoo, addressing the media in Jammu, said the hijab is protected under the Constitution. “A woman’s attire is her personal choice and part of her religious freedom. Any interference in this choice is unconstitutional and unacceptable,” he said.
The controversy also drew a strong response from Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who condemned the incident during his Friday address at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar. Describing the act as a “serious violation of personal dignity and moral conduct,” the Mirwaiz called upon Nitish Kumar to issue an unconditional apology to the woman doctor.
“No authority or position allows anyone to interfere with another person’s dignity. When such humiliation occurs in public and at the hands of someone in power, it conveys a disturbing message that authority can override basic human values,” he said.
The Mirwaiz expressed concern that instead of acknowledging the wrongdoing, sections of the political class and media were trying to justify the act by framing it as women’s empowerment. “For Muslim women, the hijab represents faith, identity and choice. It has never prevented them from excelling in education, professions or public life,” he said.
The row began earlier this week after Nitish Kumar was seen removing the niqab of a woman doctor while handing over appointment letters to newly recruited AYUSH doctors in Patna. (KINS)
