After Zaira Wasim, Javed Akhtar condemns hijab row, seeks ‘unconditional apology’ from Nitish Kumar
Javed Akhtar has condemned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the recent hijab controversy at an official event in Patna. Joining actor Zaira Wasim in criticising the incident, Akhtar called Kumar’s actions unacceptable and demanded an 'unconditional apology'.
Veteran poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar has reacted to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's hijab controversy. The politician drew flak after he pulled down a woman doctor's hijab at an event in Patna. The video was widely circulated online, with many condemning Kumar.
After the controversy snowballed, Dangal actor Zaira Wasim wrote a note, demanding an apology from Nitish Kumar. And now, Javed Akhtar has reacted to the matter.
Javed Akhtar reacts to Nitish Kumar's hijab controversy
Javed Akhtar took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared his opinion of the hijab row. The veteran screenwriter strongly condemned the act and penned, "Every one who knows me even in the most cursory manner knows how much I am against the traditional concept of Parda but it doesn’t mean that by any stretch of imagination I can accept what Mr Nitish Kumar has done to a Muslim lady doctor . I condemn it in very strong words . Mr Nitish Kumar owes an unconditional apology to the lady (sic)." Take a look:
Previously, former actor Zaira Wasim reacted to the incident and wrote on X, "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. Power does not grant permission to violate boundaries. @NitishKumar owes that woman an unconditional apology (sic)."
What is Nitish Kumar's hijab controversy?
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sparked controversy following an incident at an official event in Patna on December 15. The moment took place during a ceremony held to distribute appointment letters to newly recruited AYUSH doctors, where Kumar was seen interacting with a Muslim woman doctor wearing a hijab. He later pulled down the hijab from the woman's face himself, leaving officials and onlookers visibly shaken.
The programme was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, as well as senior ministers from the Bihar government, including Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Health Minister Mangal Pandey.
Shortly after the event, a video clip from the ceremony began circulating widely on social media, prompting criticism from opposition parties. In the footage, Nitish Kumar can be seen handing over an appointment letter to the woman while pointing towards her headscarf. He appears to question her about it and asks her to remove it. Moments later, he is seen attempting to pull it down himself.
The incident took place at Samvad, the Chief Minister’s secretariat, during a programme where appointment letters were issued to more than 1,000 AYUSH doctors. Witnesses say that when Nusrat Parveen, the doctor wearing the hijab, stepped forward to receive her letter, the 75-year-old chief minister frowned and asked, “What is this?” As the situation grew tense, an official quickly intervened and moved Parveen aside. At the same time, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, who was standing next to Kumar, was seen tugging at his sleeve, seemingly in an effort to stop him.