Hijab row: Javed Akhtar demands unconditional apology from Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

Lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar connected Thursday (December 18, 2025) demanded an unconditional apology from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for pulling down the hijab of a Muslim woman during a relation successful Patna.

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Last Monday (December 15), portion distributing the assignment missive to recently appointed AYUSH doctors, Mr. Kumar pulled down the hijab of 1 of the doctors who came to person the assignment letter.

Mr. Akhtar has demanded the apology by penning a station connected societal media level ‘X’.

“Everyone who knows maine adjacent successful the astir cursory mode knows however overmuch I americium against the accepted conception of Parda but it doesn’t mean that by immoderate agelong of imaginativeness I tin judge what Mr. Nitish Kumar has done to a Muslim woman doctor. I condemn it successful precise beardown words. Mr. Nitish Kumar owes an unconditional apology to the lady,” Mr. Akhtar said successful the post.

Ever since the video of his enactment went viral connected societal media, antithetic sections of radical person been criticising Mr. Kumar. Earlier, Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal posted the video connected its societal media level X calling him “Sanghi”.

On December 16, Peoples Democratic Party main Mehbooba Mufti posted the connection connected ‘X’ criticising Mr. Kumar and asked him to measurement down.

By posting the video, she wrote, “Having personally known & admired Nitish ji, I was shocked to spot him propulsion down a young Muslim woman’s naqaab. Does 1 property it to aged property oregon the normalisation of humiliating Muslims publicly. The information that radical astir him watched this horrific incidental unfold arsenic immoderate signifier of an amusement is adjacent much unsettling. Nitish Sahab possibly it’s clip you measurement down?”

However, elder Bharatiya Janata Party person and Union Minister Giriraj Singh supported the enactment of Mr. Kumar saying helium had not done thing wrong.

“This is not an Islamic country, anyone helium oregon she going to person the assignment should amusement the face. Nitish Kumar ji did it arsenic a guardian. Don’t you amusement your look erstwhile you spell to passport bureau and airport. This is India not Pakistan, what Nitish ji did was right,”Mr. Singh told reporters successful New Delhi.

Also, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad has already triggered contention by his connection successful enactment of Mr. Kumar saying what would person happened if helium had “touched” determination else.

While speaking to a section quality transmission Mr. Nishad connected Wednesday said, “Arey, woh bhi toh aadmi hain na, peeche nahi padna chahiye. Naqab chhoo diya toh itna ho gaya...kahin aur chhoo dete toh kya ho jaata (He’s besides a quality being aft all. One should not hound him similar this. Just by touching the ‘hijab’ caused specified an uproar, what would person happened if helium had touched thing else)”.

The Cabinet Minister successful the Yogi Adityanath authorities was laughing portion making the statement, pursuing which Samajwadi Party person Sumaiya Rana has filed a ailment seeking ineligible enactment against him.

In presumption of the hijab row, Bihar Janata Dal (United) State president Umesh Singh Kushwaha praised Mr. Kumar for doing respective payment schemes successful the social, economic, and acquisition upliftment of the number community.

Mr. Kushwaha said the community, which felt neglected earlier 2005, had present afloat joined the mainstream of improvement owed to the sincere and visionary efforts of Mr. Kumar. He asserted that successful the past 20 years, the Nitish Kumar authorities had taken respective factual and historical steps successful the involvement of the number community.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kumar connected Thursday donated his one-month wage to the Janata Dal (United) fund. He handed implicit a cheque of his one-month wage to Lalan Kumar Saraf, Deputy Leader of the ruling enactment successful the Legislative Council and Treasurer of the party.

Mr. Kumar appealed to enactment ministers, MPs, legislative enactment members, leaders holding important positions, and each affluent and influential individuals who judge successful the party’s ideology to lend arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable to fortify the party.