Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over an incident in which he was seen pulling down a doctor’s hijab during a public event in Patna. Akhtar is the latest public figure to condemn the act, which has triggered outrage and criticism from several celebrities and social commentators.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) on Thursday (December 18), Akhtar shared a strongly worded post, making it clear that while he has his own views on religious practices, he does not condone what transpired at the event.
He stated that personal ideological opposition to the concept of ‘parda’ or veiling cannot justify violating a woman’s personal space or autonomy. He also demanded an apology from the Bihar CM.
He wrote, “Every one who knows me even in the most cursory manner knows how much I am against the traditional concept of Parda but it doesn’t mean that by any stretch of imagination I can accept what Mr Nitish Kumar has done to a Muslim lady doctor. I condemn it in very strong words. Mr Nitish Kumar owes an unconditional apology to the lady.”
The incident reportedly took place on Monday during an official function in Patna, where Kumar was distributing certificates to AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) doctors. In a video that has since gone viral on social media, the 74-year-old Janata Dal (United) leader is seen gesturing to a woman doctor to remove her hijab.
Before the doctor could respond, Kumar is seen reaching out and pulling the hijab down from her face, briefly exposing her mouth and chin. The visual sparked immediate backlash, with many questioning the CM's conduct and calling it a breach of personal boundaries.
As criticism continues to mount, Kumar has yet to issue an official apology or statement addressing the incident.
