Javed Akhtar seeks ‘unconditional apology’ from Bihar CM | The Express Tribune

People across India and Pakistan have expressed strong outrage after an incident involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was seen pulling at the niqab of a Muslim medical student during a public function earlier this week. The episode, which was captured on video and widely circulated on social media, has sparked a heated debate about women’s autonomy, religious freedom and the shrinking space for minorities in India.

The student, identified as Nusrat Parveen, was receiving a certificate from the chief minister at an official event when Kumar gestured for her to remove her veil. Before she could respond or comply, he appeared to reach out and pull down her niqab himself. The act, viewed by many as intrusive and humiliating, immediately drew condemnation from activists, politicians and public figures on both sides of the border.

Among those who criticised Kumar is renowned Indian lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar, who issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) calling the chief minister’s behaviour unacceptable. Akhtar, who has often spoken critically about religious conservatism and has publicly opposed the practice of parda, made it clear that personal beliefs do not justify violating someone else’s bodily autonomy.

“Even though I am fundamentally opposed to the concept of parda,” Akhtar wrote, “that does not mean, by any stretch of the imagination, that I can accept what Mr Nitish Kumar did to a Muslim woman doctor.” He added that Kumar’s conduct deserved condemnation “in the strongest possible terms” and stressed that Parveen was owed an “unconditional apology” from the chief minister.

Akhtar’s remarks were notable given his reputation as a vocal critic of Pakistan and his long-held view that the partition of the subcontinent was a historic mistake. Yet, his intervention highlighted a broader concern shared by many commentators: that the issue at hand was not about ideology or religious debate, but about respect, consent and personal dignity.

The incident has also drawn reactions from across Pakistan, where celebrities and rights activists echoed similar concerns. Actor Sanam Jung questioned how anyone could justify such behaviour, asking pointedly how it could ever be considered acceptable to pull at a woman’s niqab when she has chosen to cover herself.

“This isn’t about opinions or arguments,” Jung said in a statement. “It’s about basic respect. No one has the right to touch a woman, control her body or decide how she should dress. Trying to excuse this kind of behaviour is simply disgusting.”

However, not everyone in India viewed the matter with the same seriousness. Some political figures sought to downplay the incident, arguing that it was being exaggerated. Sanjay Nishad, a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government, made remarks that further inflamed public anger. Speaking casually to reporters, Nishad suggested that Kumar was being unfairly targeted.

“He is a man too; they shouldn’t chase after him for this,” Nishad said. He then added a comment that many found deeply troubling: “If this is the reaction to touching a niqab, what would have happened if he had touched her somewhere else?”

When pressed to clarify, Nishad continued by trivialising the issue, suggesting that critics were overreacting to what he framed as a minor act. His remarks were widely condemned for normalising inappropriate behaviour and for reinforcing a culture that excuses harassment rather than confronting it.

The backlash against Nishad was swift, with many arguing that his comments revealed a deeply entrenched misogyny within political discourse. Critics pointed out that such statements not only diminish the seriousness of consent but also embolden those in positions of power to act without accountability.

Adding another dimension to the debate, Dewan Sachal, a Hindu and former provincial legislator from Sindh, weighed in by drawing a parallel with ancient history. He recalled that, according to the Hindu epic Mahabharata, the humiliation and harassment of a woman ultimately led to a devastating war. Sachal argued that Kumar’s actions amounted to harassment and should carry legal consequences, including possible jail time.

As condemnation continues to mount against both Kumar and Nishad, many observers argue that the incident is symptomatic of a broader problem. The ease with which powerful men felt entitled to touch a woman without her consent – and the readiness of others to defend or minimise that behaviour – speaks volumes about the state of women’s rights in India today, particularly for Muslim women.

Critics also point to the growing trivialisation of minority religious practices as evidence of a society becoming increasingly intolerant. The Indian Constitution enshrines secularism and multiculturalism as foundational principles, yet incidents like this raise troubling questions about how faithfully those ideals are being upheld in practice.

For many, the real concern lies beyond a single incident. It lies in the slow erosion of empathy, accountability and respect for difference. While there are still voices willing to challenge such behaviour and speak out against injustice, they are increasingly tested by rising hostility and indifference.

The question, observers warn, is not whether this incident will fade from public memory, but whether Indian society can confront the attitudes that allowed it to happen in the first place – before intolerance and entitlement further unravel the social fabric.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari expressed Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the Bihar chief minister’s conduct. He said the incident involving Dr Nusrat Parveen amounted to public humiliation and an unacceptable assault on a woman’s religious and personal rights.

Leghari said forcibly removing a woman’s veil was “deeply regrettable and unacceptable”, stressing that mocking or trivialising such an act only exposed a troubling pattern of disregard for the rights of Muslim women in India.

He expressed full solidarity with Dr Nusrat Parveen and said the episode betrayed a wider erosion of religious freedoms that should concern the international community.