‘Shameless act’: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar sparks political row after he pulls down woman’s hijab at Patna event — On Cam

Questions over the mental health of the Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar, have surfaced after he pulled a hijab down from a woman's face during a government event in Patna on Monday. The act was captured on camera and quickly went viral on social media.

The video surfaced on the social media platform X shows that the 74-year-old JD(U) chief handing a certificate to an AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) doctor during the event. While handing a certificate, Kumar is seen pulling down the hijab, exposing the woman's mouth and chin.

Oppositions label the act as "shameless"

Amid the act, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has attempted to stop Nitish Kumar. Meanwhile, labelling the act of Nitish Kumar as "shameless" and "vile", the Congress said on social media that he should resign from the chief minister's post. The RJD also wondered whether this was proof of his deteriorating mental health.

"What has happened to Nitish ji? His mental state has now reached a completely pitiable condition," the Congress party wrote in a post on X in Hindi.

"Look at his shamelessness - a female doctor had come to collect her appointment letter, and Nitish Kumar pulled off her hijab. A man occupying the highest position in Bihar is openly indulging in such a vile act. Think about it - how safe will women in the state be? Nitish Kumar should immediately resign for this disgusting behaviour. This vileness is unforgivable," the party's handle added.

Similarly, RJD Spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad also said that pulling down the hijab by Kumar shows the JDU-BJP coalition's attitude towards women. "By removing the hijab from the face of a Muslim woman who observes purdah, he (Kumar) has made it clear what kind of politics the JDU and BJP are engaging in in the name of women's empowerment... Removing a woman's veil is, in a way, an act of snatching away the right to live according to one's culture and religious freedom, which is guaranteed to all by the Indian Constitution and its constitutional system," said Ahmad.

'Nitish Kumar is a guardian more than a CM'

In response to the viral video, Minority Welfare Minister Zama Khan told ANI, "CM Nitish Kumar has always respected everyone... He always assures everyone he is a guardian more than a CM. The girl in the video is like a child to him, and his action might have come out of affection... Nitish Kumar respects minorities a lot, and it hurts to see people raising fingers at him... He is the person who developed Bihar and it is funny that the opposition is questioning him... He is like a father for all of us, and he and the government always take action whenever an untoward incident takes place..."

He also added, "His action was his affection for a child... Everything has multiple perspectives... I respect Nitish Kumar a lot and his works are unbiased and developmental... One should see a person's nature and that is what matters..."