Lucknow: Famous poet Munawwar Rana’s daughter and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader, Sumaiya Rana, refused to give an interview to a Pakistani TV journalist over Nitish Kumar’s hijab controversy. Rana told the reporter of Lahore-based 24 News channel that she did not want the neighbouring country to interfere in India’s internal matters.
She declined the request by quoting Jigar Moradabadi’s poem, “Najar ka teer jigar mein rahe to achcha hai, ghar ki baat ghar mein rahe to achcha hai” (better if the arrow of sight stays in the heart, better if household matters stay within the house). In a video going viral on social media, Rana could be heard telling the reporter that in India everybody lives peacefully and if there are any differences, they will be sorted amicably.
During the telephonic conversation, the reporter also mentioned that he had already spoken to former judge Justice Markandey Katju on the issue. She even said that the ruling government belongs to them.
Notably, Rana on December 19 alleged that she had been placed under house arrest. However, the police denied her claims. She had approached the Kaiserbagh police on December 16 seeking registration of an FIR over alleged objectionable acts and remarks involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad.
On December 15, during a government event, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulled down a woman’s hijab while giving her an AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) certificate. The incident was caught on camera and soon the video went viral. The incident drew flak from opposition leaders.
The Congress called the Bihar CM “shameless”. “This is Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Look at his shamelessness, a female doctor had come to collect her appointment letter, and Nitish Kumar pulled off her hijab,” the grand old party said.
Meanwhile, Nishad Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad added fuel to the ongoing controversy by saying that what would have happened if the Bihar CM had “touched” the woman “somewhere else”.
