Bihar CM removes woman’s hijab; Zaira Wasim demands ‘unconditional apology’

Former actor Zaira Wasim recently turned to social media to voice her infuriation over Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's conduct, where he removed a woman's headscarf on stage at a public event in Patna. She sought an "unconditional apology" from Kumar and said that a woman's modesty and dignity are not "props to toy with.”

“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,” Zaira wrote on X on Monday night. “Power does not grant permission to violate boundaries. @NitishKumar owes that woman an unconditional apology,” she added, Indian Express reported.

A newly appointed AYUSH doctor in Patna was left visibly startled on Monday after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar allegedly pulled down her hijab while handing over her appointment letter, according to reports.

The incident occurred during a ceremony at ‘Samvad’, the Chief Minister’s secretariat, where appointment letters were distributed to over 1,000 AYUSH doctors, and a video of the moment has since circulated widely on social media.

Officials said that when Nusrat Parveen approached the dais with her face covered by a hijab, the 75-year-old chief minister appeared displeased and exclaimed, “What is this?”

Standing on an elevated platform, he reportedly leaned forward and pulled down her veil. The doctor appeared flustered and was quickly moved away by an official. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who was standing next to Kumar, was seen attempting to intervene by tugging at the chief minister’s sleeve.

Separately, actor Zaira was last seen on screen in Shonali Bose’s 2019 film The Sky Is Pink. She later announced her decision to leave the film industry, saying that acting conflicted with her religious beliefs.