Iltija Mufti files FIR against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar over ‘veil-pulling incident’

Srinagar, Dec 19: People’s Democratic party leader, on Friday approached the Kothibagh Police Station in Srinagar to lodge an FIR against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over a viral ‘video showing him pulling down a Muslim woman doctor’s niqab during an official event’, which she described as “vulgar and derogatory.”

She was joined by senior PDP leaders Waheed Parra, Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi (MLA Budgam) and Mohit Bhan in filing the complaint.

Addressing reporters outside her party office, Iltija as per news agency said she had come to register a formal complaint against Nitish Kumar for his “objectionable and misogynistic behaviour towards women and religious minorities.”

“We have seen what the Bihar CM has been doing and now even a BJP minister is making similarly vulgar statements. This cannot go unchecked,” she said, referring to related controversial posts and statements circulating on social media around the burka/niqab episode.

Iltija also criticized political silence in Jammu and Kashmir when the matter first broke, saying, “When Nitish made those remarks, our Chief Minister Omar Abdullah did not react for two days. And when he finally spoke, it was only to defend Nitish.”

The niqab pull-down incident in Patna sparked widespread outrage online and intensified debates over religious freedom, women’s dignity and the conduct of public officials. Opposition parties and commentators have condemned the act as humiliating and inappropriate, demanding accountability.

She also accused CM Omar Abdullah of doing petty politics by issuing statement. —(JKNS)