Sanjay Nishad’s Controversial Statement on Nitish Kumar Hijab Incident Draws Widespread Criticism

Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Sanjay Nishad has triggered widespread outrage with controversial remarks defending Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's act of pulling down a woman doctor's hijab at a public event in Patna on December 16, 2025. Speaking to a local news channel, Nishad questioned the uproar, stating in Bhojpuri dialect while smiling, "He's also a human being after all. One should not hound him like this. Just by touching the 'hijab' caused such an uproar; what would have happened if he had touched something else?"

The comments, perceived as trivialising the incident and carrying inappropriate innuendo, drew sharp condemnation from opposition leaders. Samajwadi Party leader Sumaiya Rana filed a police complaint seeking an FIR and legal action against Nishad, while former Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh described the remarks as "vile" and "misogynistic", emphasising that violating a hijab constitutes assault and that such attitudes undermine women's safety across religions.

Shaikh further criticised the ruling BJP alliance, stating that slogans like "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao" ring hollow under governance that tolerates such mindsets, and demanded Nishad's immediate resignation. The backlash highlighted concerns over respect for personal and religious boundaries, particularly for Muslim women.

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Nishad later issued a clarification, asserting that his casual, dialect-inflected statement was made without any ill intent toward any community, woman, or religion. He described it as a light-hearted comment that had been misconstrued.

The original incident involved 74-year-old Nitish Kumar handing a certificate to an AYUSH doctor during a government programme, where he motioned for her to remove her hijab and then pulled it down himself, exposing her mouth and chin. The video sparked criticism, with opposition parties questioning Kumar's conduct and mental fitness, while some attendees laughed, and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary appeared to intervene.

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