The security arrangements for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have been strengthened after a controversial incident at a public event in Patna triggered widespread public anger and online threats. The episode occurred during a function at ‘Samvad’, the chief minister’s secretariat, where appointment letters were being distributed to more than a thousand newly selected AYUSH doctors. A video showing Nitish Kumar pulling down the hijab of a woman doctor quickly went viral, leading to sharp reactions across the political and social spectrum.
Following the backlash, intelligence agencies assessed the situation and advised that the chief minister’s security be tightened. Officials said that after the video circulated widely, several threatening messages and hostile comments targeting Nitish Kumar appeared on social media platforms, prompting concerns about his safety. Based on these inputs, a decision was taken to enhance his security cover as a precautionary measure.
Senior police officials, including the Director General of Police and the Additional Director General of the Special Security Group (SSG), conducted a review of the existing security framework. After this assessment, additional measures were put in place to ensure closer protection for the chief minister. The SSG has since enforced a stricter security perimeter, limiting access to Nitish Kumar to a smaller group of authorised and high-profile individuals.
In addition to changes around the chief minister personally, district police chiefs across Bihar have been instructed to remain on high alert, particularly in sensitive areas. Law enforcement agencies have been told to closely monitor the situation and maintain heightened vigilance to prevent any untoward incident arising from the controversy.
Nitish Kumar, who took oath as Bihar Chief Minister for a record tenth time last month, became the centre of the storm after the viral clip showed him gesturing towards the woman doctor’s face covering and asking, “Yeh kya hai (What is this)?”, before pulling it down. The woman, later identified as Nusrat Parveen, was immediately guided away by an official present at the venue, while Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary was seen attempting to intervene by tugging at the chief minister’s sleeve.
The incident drew strong criticism from leaders across political parties and prominent public figures. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi termed the act “public harassment” and said that forcibly pulling down a woman’s veil amounted to an unacceptable abuse of power by an elected chief minister. The Rashtriya Janata Dal questioned Nitish Kumar’s behaviour, suggesting that the incident raised serious concerns about his conduct and judgment.
Congress leaders also condemned the act, calling it deeply objectionable and demanding that the chief minister step down. Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar criticised the incident as well, stating that even if one opposed the idea of parda, forcibly removing a Muslim woman’s veil in public was unacceptable. He strongly condemned the act and called for an unconditional apology from Nitish Kumar.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also weighed in, saying the incident could not be justified under any circumstances. He remarked that Nitish Kumar, once regarded as a symbol of secular politics, appeared to be revealing a different side, and emphasised that a woman’s religious attire should never be interfered with.
Amid the growing criticism, Union Minister Giriraj Singh came out in defence of Nitish Kumar. He argued that the chief minister had done nothing wrong and said that revealing one’s face is often required during official procedures. Singh added that accepting or declining a government job was a personal choice, and there was nothing coercive in the situation.
Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey also attempted to downplay the controversy, stating that the NDA government in the state had consistently worked towards women’s empowerment. He said Nitish Kumar’s long record of policies aimed at improving the status of women in Bihar should not be overshadowed by the incident, even as opposition parties and civil society groups continued to demand an apology.
