Premium

‘This is a secular country’: Giriraj Singh says burqa-clad voters should show faces if asked

The BJP leader’s remarks came on the day polling began in 121 constituencies across the state in the first phase of the Assembly election.

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Nov 6, 2025 11:08 AM IST

Union Minister for Textiles, Giriraj Singh (Express)

As the first phase of the Bihar Assembly election began Thursday, Union Minister Giriraj Singh,defended checking of the identity of burqa-clad women and said that “women wearing burqas should show their faces” if polling officials have “doubts about their identity”, describing India as a secular country where Election Commission rules apply equally to all.

Speaking to reporters, Singh said, “This is India. The Election Commission’s rules apply here. When a woman in a burqa goes to get an Aadhaar card made, she lifts it. When she goes to the airport, she lifts it. When she goes to make a reservation or receive government benefits, she lifts it. Is this Pakistan or Bangladesh? This is a secular country. If anyone has doubts here, we will make them show their face.”

Giriraj Singh cast his vote in Lakhisarai and added that it will prevent ‘vote chori’ (vote theft).

The BJP leader’s remarks came on the day polling began in 121 constituencies across the state in the first phase of the Assembly election.

Singh represents Bihar’s Begusarai in the Lok Sabha.

“The way Lalu Yadav is trusting criminals, trusting Muslim votes… Nitish Kumar has done enormous work for Muslims. What did Lalu Yadav do… he is creating Hindu-Muslim tension which is very sad,” he said.

A total of 13.13 per cent of 3.75 crore voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of voting in phase one of the Bihar assembly elections on Thursday, an official said.

Saharsa recorded the highest polling percentage so far at 15.27, followed by Begusarai (14.6) and Muzaffarpur (14.38).

Story continues below this ad

Several senior politicians, including RJD leader and INDIA bloc’s CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav, Union ministers Giriraj Singh and Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’, and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha were among those who cast their votes early.