Kashmiri leaders slam Bihar CM for forcibly removing Muslim woman’s hijab
Srinagar: Kashmiri leaders and rights activists have strongly condemned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for forcibly pulling off the hijab of a Muslim woman doctor during a public event in Patna, terming the act humiliating, unacceptable, and a violation of constitutional and democratic norms.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Communist Paraty of India-Marxist MLA from Kulgam, MY Tarigami, said, “Such an act deserves unequivocal condemnation as it violates religious freedom and personal dignity. It goes against the spirit of the democratic norms.”
President of the All J&K Shia Association, Imran Reza Ansari, who has written to the Bihar Chief Minister, also condemned the incident, describing it as “the forcible removal of a woman doctor’s hijab on stage.” He demanded accountability, stating, “This is not about politics. It is about the basic constitutional right to religious freedom, human dignity, and respectful coexistence in a democratic India. Forcibly removing a woman’s veil, especially a doctor—a symbol of service, education, and empowerment—cannot be justified under any circumstance. Such actions are unacceptable.”
Actor Zaira Wasim, who quit Bollywood, called the incident a violation of a woman’s dignity. “A woman’s dignity and modesty are not props to toy with, least of all on a public stage. Power does not grant permission to violate boundaries. Nitish Kumar owes that woman an unconditional apology,” she said on X.
