Nitish Kumar pulls down doctor’s hijab, opposition raises questions over conduct
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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has sparked a fresh political controversy after a video surfaced showing him pulling down a woman doctor’s hijab during a government function in Patna.
The incident has triggered sharp criticism from Opposition parties, with some questioning his conduct and mental fitness for office.
The video, now widely circulated on social media, shows the 74-year-old JD(U) leader presenting an appointment certificate to an AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) doctor at an official event on Monday. As the woman stood before him wearing a hijab, Kumar appeared to gesture for her to remove it. Before she could respond, he reached out and pulled the hijab down, exposing her mouth and chin.
While some people in the background are seen laughing, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary appears to step in and attempt to stop Kumar.
The Opposition reacted strongly. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) questioned whether the incident reflected a deterioration in the chief minister’s mental health. “What has happened to Nitish ji? His mental state has now reached a completely pitiable condition,” the party wrote in Hindi on X.
RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad said the act reflected the JD(U)-BJP coalition’s attitude towards women and minorities. “By removing the hijab from the face of a Muslim woman who observes purdah, he has shown what kind of politics they practise in the name of women’s empowerment. Removing a woman’s veil amounts to snatching away her right to live according to her culture and religious beliefs, which are guaranteed by the Constitution,” Ahmad said.
The Congress also condemned the incident, calling it “shameless” and “vile”, and demanded Kumar’s resignation. “A female doctor had come to collect her appointment letter, and Nitish Kumar pulled off her hijab. A man holding the highest office in Bihar is openly indulging in such a disgusting act. How safe will women in the state be?” the party posted on X.
This is not the first time Kumar’s public behaviour has drawn criticism.
Weeks before the Bihar assembly elections in November, a video of him garlanding a woman at a public meeting had gone viral, drawing widespread backlash. Leaders including Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor had repeatedly raised concerns about Kumar’s fitness to govern during the campaign.
Despite such criticism, the JD(U)-BJP alliance went on to score a sweeping victory in the elections, winning over 200 of the state’s 243 seats, while the Opposition Mahagathbandhan was reduced to 35.
After the polls, Kishor reiterated his remarks in an interview with NDTV, saying he stood by his assessment. “It’s not about age. If a chief minister does not appear mentally and physically fit, I will say so,” he said.