Patna: Nitish Kumar was at the centre of a controversy after the Bihar chief minister pulled down a woman’s hijab.
The incident took place at ‘Samvad’, the CM’s secretariat in Patna, where appointment letters were handed over to 1,283 AYUSH doctors.
When it was the turn of Nusrat Parveen to receive her letter, the 75-year-old Nitish frowned and exclaimed “What is this? as he noticed the lady wearing a hijab.
Nusrat was hastily pulled aside by an official, as Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary was seen tugging at Nitish’s sleeve in an apparent bid to restrain him.
A video shows Nitish gesturing towards the woman’s headscarf, and instructing her to remove it before proceeding to pull it down himself.
There is no way Nitish Kumar is this vile to do something like this.
He has totally lost control of his senses and must step down from his post.
This is difficult to even watch.
— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) December 15, 2025
As the video of the incident went viral on social media, the Opposition and netizens slammed the chief minister’s act.
The RJD questioned Nitish’s mental condition.
“What has happened to Nitish ji? Has his mental condition now reached a completely pathetic state or has Nitish Babu now become 100% Sanghi?” RJD posted on X along with the video.
The Congress called out Nitish’s ‘despicable act’, and demanded his resignation.
“This is Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Look at his shamelessness – when a lady doctor came to collect her appointment letter, Nitish Kumar pulled her hijab. The man holding the highest office in Bihar is openly committing such despicable acts. Imagine how safe women will be in the state? Nitish Kumar should resign immediately for this despicable act. This vulgarity is unforgivable,” Congress wrote, sharing the video.
Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said Nitish’s act was a ‘public harassment’.
“This is absolutely condemnable and force pulling a woman’s veil down is nothing but public harassment of a woman by the elected CM,” Priyanka expressed on X.