J&K Grand Mufti Condemns Nitish Kumar Over Hijab Incident, Calls It ‘Insult’ Of Indian Muslims

The Grand Mufti said the removal of the hijab was an act of "humiliation" and a "betrayal of constitutional values". He said that such an incident is an insult to "22 crore Indian Muslims".

Jammu and Kashmir's Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam strongly condemned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar following a widely reported incident where a Muslim woman's hijab was pulled by Nitesh Kumar during a public event. 

The Grand Mufti said the removal of the hijab was an act of "humiliation" and a "betrayal of constitutional values". He said that such an incident is an insult to "22 crore Indian Muslims".

And expressed shame that politicians would resort to such actions for power, noting that it goes against the moral values and religious freedoms guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.

Grand Mufti warned that if such behavior is not corrected, it will lead to severe consequences for the nation's harmony. 

The incident has triggered widespread criticism across the region, CM Omar Abdullah with PDP leader Iltija Mufti also calling for accountability and questioning the Bihar government's leadership if it cannot distinguish between respect and humiliation. 

Earlier, Omar said that humiliating a woman in public is “unacceptable under any circumstances, Nitish Kumar was previously viewed as a "secular and sensible politician.”

Joining the condemnation, PDP leader Iltija Mufti expressed dismay, saying, "Nitish Kumar's act of forcibly removing a woman's face cover is not just a violation of her dignity but a blatant display of patriarchal entitlement. When will leaders respect women's autonomy?" She added that while the PDP holds regard for Kumar, such conduct in full public glare renders him unfit for office, urging him to step down.”

All political as well as other local religious leaders have backed the Grand Mufti's condemnation of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for remarks made regarding a Muslim woman's hijab. 

The controversy stems from an incident on December 15, 2025, where Nitish Kumar, while distributing appointment letters to AYUSH doctors, pulled a Muslim doctor's face down himself.