Former actor Zaira Wasim demands Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s unconditional apology after a video showed him pulling an AYUSH doctor’s hijab during a public function, igniting debates on dignity, consent, and religious sensitivity.
A video from a certificate distribution ceremony in Patna on December 16, 2025, has gone viral, showing Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reaching out to Dr. Nusrat Parveen, an AYUSH doctor, and pulling down her hijab to expose her face while interacting on stage.
The 74-year-old leader, known for his folksy style, gestured for her to remove it before doing so himself amid a crowd of beneficiaries and officials. Eyewitness accounts describe the moment as sudden, with the young doctor appearing startled but not visibly protesting on camera.
This footage, shared widely on X and Instagram, quickly amassed millions of views, fuelling accusations of disrespect towards Muslim women’s religious attire and personal boundaries. Opposition parties and celebrities swiftly condemned the act, framing it as emblematic of casual patriarchy in politics.
Zaira Wasim, the 25-year-old former child star of Dangal who left Bollywood in 2019 citing conflicts with her Islamic faith, led the celebrity backlash. In a poignant X post, she wrote: “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… was so infuriating.
Power does not grant permission to violate boundaries. @NitishKumar owes that woman an unconditional apology.” Her words resonated deeply, humanising the incident by invoking shared experiences of Muslim women navigating public scrutiny.
Fellow cricketer Irfan Pathan echoed similar sentiments, amplifying the call for accountability. Netizens flooded social media with #NitishKumarApologise, blending anger with memes critiquing the CM’s age and awareness
Political Firestorm Intensifies
The controversy erupted hours after the event at a government function honouring AYUSH practitioners, where Kumar was distributing certificates. Congress leaders branded the video “shameless,” with spokesperson Ragini Nayak questioning if such behaviour befits a chief minister.
RJD, Nitish’s coalition partner turned frequent rival, piled on, with one MP asking if the CM’s “mental state” needed checking, highlighting ongoing political tensions in Bihar ahead of future polls. PDP leader Iltija Mufti went further, demanding Kumar “step down,” likening the act to an assault on religious symbols in a diverse nation.
These reactions underscore Bihar’s polarised politics, where Nitish’s JD(U) navigates alliances amid accusations of minority appeasement or neglect.
Defenders, including some JD(U) functionaries, downplayed the row as overblown. They portrayed Kumar’s gesture as a “fatherly” attempt to encourage the doctor to speak confidently, insisting her dupatta-like hijab was merely adjusted, not aggressively removed.
No malice was intended, they argued, pointing to the CM’s history of empowering women through schemes like bicycle distribution for girls. Dr. Parveen herself has not publicly commented, leaving room for speculation on her perspective.
As of late December 16, neither Kumar nor his office issued a formal response, allowing the online storm to rage. This silence has only heightened calls for clarity, with women’s rights groups urging an inquiry into public conduct norms.
Broader Context of Hijab Debates
This incident revives India’s fraught discourse on the hijab, echoing the 2022 Karnataka controversy where Muslim girls were barred from classrooms over headscarves, sparking nationwide protests. In Bihar, a state with a significant Muslim population (17%), such symbols carry weight in identity politics.
Nitish Kumar, back in power since 2022 via a flip-flop alliance, has positioned himself as a secular leader, yet faces criticism for inconsistent stances on faith issues.
Past events, like his awkward public speeches or physical interactions with crowds, have drawn similar flak, but none as visually potent as this. The timing, amid national focus on women’s safety post high-profile cases, amplifies scrutiny on leaders’ everyday actions.
Social media’s role cannot be understated-platforms like X turned a fleeting moment into a pan-India flashpoint within hours.
Experts note that while cultural norms in rural Bihar might view such gestures as informal, urban and global lenses prioritise consent, especially for religious attire. Legal angles emerge too: though no FIR is filed, advocates cite IPC sections on outraging modesty if the doctor pursues it.
The episode highlights a disconnect between generational views-Kumar’s old-school camaraderie versus Gen Z’s emphasis on boundaries. For Muslim women like Dr. Parveen, working in public health, it underscores dual pressures: professional visibility and faith observance.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Public figures wield immense influence, and casually overriding a woman’s choice over her hijab-be it intent or ignorance-erodes the very dignity they claim to uphold, particularly for marginalised communities in a tense socio-political landscape.
The Logical Indian advocates for empathy, dialogue, and immediate accountability: an unconditional apology from Nitish Kumar, coupled with sensitivity training for leaders, would model respect and de-escalate divides.
Harmony thrives when power bows to consent, fostering coexistence over controversy.
