6 months ago
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Amid rising prices of precious metals successful the country, women and men with covered faces “cannot bargain golden successful Bihar for information reasons”, the State section of the All India Jewellers and Gold Federation (AIJGF) said connected Wednesday (January 7, 2026).
Jewellery shops successful Bihar whitethorn garbage introduction and merchantability to customers with their faces covered successful hijabs, naqabs, burqas (veils), scarves, masks, helmets, etc., the federation said.
“Unless the customers’ faces are disposable for recognition astatine the clip of purchase, their introduction into the store volition beryllium restricted,” Ashok Kumar Verma, president of the AIJGF’s Bihar chapter, said, adding the determination was “purely driven by information considerations, and does not people any particular assemblage oregon spiritual group”.
“The federation is not imposing prohibition connected hijab oregon burqa but is requesting customers to amusement their faces portion buying for identification,” helium added. The rule, said Mr. Verma, “applies arsenic to men who screen their faces either with scarves oregon helmets. This directive is for everyone, not against immoderate peculiar assemblage oregon religion”.
“Today, the terms of 10 gm golden is astir ₹ 1.40 lakh portion 1 kilogram of metallic costs ₹2.5 lakh, and the contented arises erstwhile radical travel into shops hiding their faces. They deterioration afloat helmets oregon veils successful groups of three-four persons and perpetrate robberies. Lately, respective incidents of robbery and theft person been committed by masked men and women wearing a veil connected their face. This determination is purely aimed astatine preventing specified crimes,” Mr. Verma told media persons successful Patna.
“I person discussed with elder constabulary officials successful Patna, who raised nary objection to implementing the rule, which galore shops successful the State person started to follow. Our volition is not discrimination,” Mr. Verma said, adding, “Similar precautionary measures are being followed successful immoderate districts of different States but Bihar is the archetypal to adhere to the directive crossed the State.”
State spokesperson of the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Ejaz Ahmed objected to the development. “The determination is unconstitutional and against India’s secular and Constitutional traditions,” Mr. Ahmed said. “It’s an effort to curtail the cardinal close of a idiosyncratic to spiritual state guaranteed successful the Constitution,” helium added, alleging the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were “behind specified a move”.
“Promoting and pursuing specified unconstitutional moves which could lone weaken the secular cloth of the country,” Mr. Ahmed said. “No unit subordinate of a store tin region anyone’s hijab oregon burqa. We tin lone marque a humble petition for this but determination is nary question of immoderate confrontation connected it,” helium said, adding, “The federation which has issued specified an unconstitutional and impractical determination intends to guarantee the information of customers and shopkeepers alike.”
On December 15, 2025, a contention erupted erstwhile Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulled disconnected the hijab of a Muslim pistillate doc portion distributing assignment letters to AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) doctors successful Patna , triggering wide outrage and debate. The doc had not joined work till December 31, the past day for joining notified by the State Health Department.
