As hijab controversy snowballs around Nitish, JDU says judge him by what he’s done for women

On Wednesday, the Bihar Health Ministry dismissed claims that the AYUSH doctor had refused to join her duty amidst the row and pressure from her community. A health department official told The Indian Express: “Neither has the woman doctor written to us denying the position, nor has anyone from the family issued any such statement.”

JD(U) chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, however, told The Indian Express: “Too much is being read into a flash incident. The CM was just asking the AYUSH doctor’s identity. Now, political and religious colour is being given to it. What Nitish Kumar has done for women empowerment and minority welfare should be judged.”

On Tuesday, Opposition parties in the state, including the RJD and the Congress, shared the purported video on their social media accounts and claimed that the incident was the latest proof of Nitish’s “unstable mental health”.

Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, criticised his Bihar counterpart on Wednesday: “We have seen this earlier too, have you forgotten how Mehbooba Mufti removed the burqa of a legitimate voter inside a polling station?… That was also unfortunate, and this is also unfortunate… Earlier, Nitish Kumar was considered a secular leader. Now, the true face of Nitish Kumar is being revealed…”

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray posted on X: “Be it a hijab, be it a ghoongat, be it a face mask or be it whatever the lady is wearing, NOBODY has the right to touch her, or to pull it off or force it on.”

From Hyderabad, social activist Lubna Sarwath, civil rights activist Nikhat Fatima and two others wrote to NCW chief Vijaya K Rahatkar, seeking action on the incident.