CM Nitish Kumar pulls down woman's hijab at an event.
Credit: Screengrab from the video
Patna: The hijab row in Bihar is refusing to die down.
Close on the heels of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulling the hijab of an AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) doctor Nusrat Praveen while handing over the appointment letter on December 15, the woman, whose video has gone viral, has decided not to join the Bihar Government job.
Her brother told a section of the media that she was thoroughly disgusted and hugely embarrassed over the incident and may not join the Bihar Government job. Nusrat was scheduled to join the service on December 20.
“We are trying to convince her that it was not her fault, so why should she suffer? Why should she give up her career because of someone else’s actions? But she is under huge mental stress and, most probably, she won’t join the services,” he said.
Reportedly, Nusrat has left Bihar and gone to Kolkata where her parents stay.
Giriraj's Diatribe
“Whether the girl refuses the job or goes to hell, that’s her choice,” said Union Minister Giriraj Singh, adding more fuel to the fire after UP Minister Sanjay Nishad’s unsavoury remarks against the woman on Wednesday.
Notably, Nitish had pulled down the hijab of the woman doctor Nusrat Parveen saying “What is this?” before reaching down and removing the hijab from her face. The incident, which took place at Samvad Hall in the CM Secretariat here in Patna on December 15, sparked huge controversy with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to lyricist Javed Akhtar slamming Nitish in no uncertain terms for the “shameful act”.
The RJD and the Congress questioned Nitish’s mental health and cited similar recent misdemeanours by Bihar CM to buttress their point.
However, Giriraj, like UP minister, came out in defence of Nitish. “Nitish has done no wrong. If someone is going to collect an appointment letter, should not he or she show their face? Is this some Islamic country?,” said Giriraj, known for his anti-Muslim rant.