Javed Akhtar demands unconditional apology from Nitish Kumar over Hijab incident

The viral video of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar pulling down a lady doctor's hijab drew strong condemnation from veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar. The lyricist asserted that Kumar must issue an "unconditional apology to the lady."

In Short

• Javed Akhtar demanded apology from Bihar CM Nitish Kumar over hijab incident
• He condemned Kumar's actions towards the Muslim lady doctor
• Earlier, 'Dangal' actor Zaira Wasim had also condemned the incident

Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over pulling down a woman's hijab while handing over appointment letters to AYUSH doctors at an event. Akhtar mentioned that despite himself being "against the traditional concept of Parda," the Bihar CM "owes an unconditional apology to the lady."

The lyricist's X post read, "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 (sic)."

Here's the post:

Kumar sparked a row after he pulled down a woman's hijab while handing over appointment letters to AYUSH doctors at an event. The video has gone viral on social media with Opposition as well as social media users fuming over the act.

The clip surfacing on the internet shows the Bihar CM gesturing towards the woman’s headscarf after handing her appointment letter. He asked her about it, and instructed her to remove it before proceeding to pull it down himself. The incident took place at ‘Samvad’, the CM's secretariat, where appointment letters were given away to more than 1,000 AYUSH doctors.

When it was the turn of Nusrat Parveen, who had turned up wearing a hijab across her face, the 75-year-old CM frowned and exclaimed "what is this?". The appointee was hastily pulled aside by an official, while Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who stood beside Kumar, was seen tugging at the latter's sleeve, in an apparent bid to restrain him.

Earlier, Zaira Wasim, who made her acting debut with Aamir Khan's Dangal, also condemned the incident. Her X post read, "A woman's dignity and modesty are not props to toy with. Least of all on a public stage. As a Muslim woman, watching another woman's niqab being pulled at so casually, accompanied by that nonchalant smile, was so infuriating. Power does not grant permission to violate boundaries. @NitishKumar owes that woman an unconditional apology."

The matter remains a subject of ongoing discussion both in political circles and across the wider public on social media.

- Ends