Javed Akhtar Slams Nitish Kumar Over Hijab Row: “Would You Dare Pull a Hindu Woman’s Ghoonghat?”

Renowned lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar has launched a sharp attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the recent hijab controversy, calling the act an affront to women’s dignity and personal freedom rather than a religious issue.

Reacting to an incident in which the Chief Minister allegedly pulled the hijab of a woman doctor during a public function, Akhtar questioned the moral authority behind such an action. Speaking to India Today, he said that even if a person does not believe in religion or identifies as an atheist, it does not give them the right to humiliate others.

He stressed that disagreement with religious practices must be expressed through dialogue and reason, not through physical or symbolic acts of disrespect.

“Would You Do the Same to a Hindu Woman?”

Drawing a comparison, Akhtar pointed out that in many parts of India, Hindu women traditionally wear the ghoonghat (veil).

He further alleged that Nitish Kumar acted with the confidence that he would face no consequences for his behaviour.

Not a Hindu-Muslim Issue, But a Question of Dignity

Akhtar categorically rejected attempts to frame the controversy as a Hindu-Muslim issue. According to him, the core of the matter lies in respect, consent, and women’s rights.

Emphasising universal values, Akhtar added that any civilized person—regardless of whether they are Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Parsi, Buddhist, or of any other faith—should find such behaviour unacceptable.

The remarks have intensified the debate around the incident, with many voices echoing Akhtar’s view that public figures must be held to higher standards when it comes to respecting women’s autonomy and personal choices.