By Nadine Osman
Public outrage has spread across India after video footage emerged showing the chief minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, pulling a Muslim woman’s face covering (niqab) during an official public ceremony.
The incident occurred on December 8 in Patna, the state capital, at a government event where appointment letters were being distributed to newly recruited AYUSH practitioners, a system of traditional Indian medicine. As Dr Nusrat Parveen approached the stage to receive her certificate, Kumar gestured for her to remove her niqab. Before she could respond, he reached out and pulled it aside himself, revealing her face.
Footage shows Parveen visibly startled as the moment unfolds. Several male officials standing on stage, including Bihar’s Home Minister Samrat Choudhary, appeared to make only limited attempts to intervene, while others were seen laughing, treating the incident lightly.
The video quickly circulated online, prompting widespread condemnation and calls for a public apology. Some critics have gone further, demanding Kumar’s resignation, arguing that the incident reflects a broader climate in which the dignity, agency and religious freedom of Muslim women are routinely undermined.
The Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRCP) described the act as “highly shameful, reprehensible and inhumane”, urging Indian authorities to carry out an immediate, transparent and impartial investigation.
“This incident is not simply an insult to one individual but an attack on human dignity, religious freedom, women’s autonomy and fundamental human rights,” the organisation said, calling on the United Nations and international human rights bodies to take notice and press for accountability.
HRCP also demanded a formal apology to Parveen and the introduction of safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Former Indian actor Zaira Wasim criticised the episode, stating that “a woman’s dignity and modesty are not props to be played with”. Shiv Sena parliamentarian Priyanka Chaturvedi warned that the significant power imbalance involved meant the woman at the centre of the incident would likely face repercussions regardless of how she responded.
Indian parliamentarian Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi described Kumar’s behaviour as “indefensible” and “deeply disturbing”, calling for an apology and questioning his conduct in public office.
Parveen was reportedly one of more than 1,200 AYUSH doctors attending the event.
