Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah Slams Nitish Kumar Over Hijab Controversy

Srinagar: The hijab controversy involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has sparked nationwide debate. Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has demanded an apology from Kumar, calling the incident “unacceptable”. Abdullah argued that if the same action had been taken against a Hindu woman, the outrage across the country would have been even greater.

The remarks came after a video from Patna surfaced showing Chief Minister Kumar allegedly attempting to remove the hijab of a woman during a government function. Abdullah criticized this action, saying:

“Forget that she is a Muslim woman wearing a hijab. How can anyone touch a woman’s clothing or forcibly remove it? I have never done such a thing, so why did they feel the need to interfere with someone’s attire?”

Abdullah Questions Double Standards
Omar Abdullah pointed out the apparent double standards, stating:

“If a Muslim leader had forcibly lifted the veil of a Hindu woman, imagine the uproar. Because this was a Muslim doctor, the reaction is different. The woman did not even want to take the certificate herself. Nitish Kumar must recognize his mistake and apologize to the woman.”

Defense by Giriraj Singh
Meanwhile, Union Minister Giriraj Singh defended Nitish Kumar, dismissing the viral video as misleading. He claimed that Kumar’s actions were those of a guardian questioning why the woman’s face was covered while receiving an appointment letter.

Giriraj Singh stated:

“Nitish Kumar did nothing wrong. If someone goes to receive an official document, should they not show their face? This is not an Islamic state; this is India, governed by law. Everything is being linked to Islam nowadays. What Nitish Kumar did was correct.”

The Controversy Explained
The incident took place during a government function in Patna, where newly recruited Ayush doctors were receiving their appointment letters. In the video, Kumar appears to remove the hijab from the woman’s face, exposing her mouth and chin, before she could respond, which led to widespread criticism and political backlash.