Patna: Nusrat Parveen, a newly appointed AYUSH doctor whose niqab was pulled by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during a public ceremony, is considering not joining government service following the incident, according to her family.
The episode occurred on December 15 at the Chief Minister’s residence in Patna during an official function to distribute appointment letters to 1,283 newly recruited doctors in the Ayurvedic, Homoeopathic and Unani systems of medicine.
A video of the moment, widely shared on social media, shows the chief minister pulling Parveen’s niqab, partially revealing her face in front of those present. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary was seen intervening to stop the act.
Family members said the incident left Parveen deeply distressed and humiliated. Although she is scheduled to join service on December 20, her family says she has decided against it for now.
“She is determined not to join the service. We are telling her that it is the fault of the other person, so why should she feel bad or suffer because of it?” Parveen’s brother told media outlets. He added that the family is trying to persuade her to reconsider.
The incident has triggered sharp political reactions. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the main opposition party in Bihar, questioned the chief minister’s conduct and shared a post on X asking, “What has happened to Nitish Ji? His mental state has reached a pitiable condition or he has fully embraced RSS ideology.”
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Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh minister and BJP leader Sanjay Nishad said the controversy had been exaggerated.
“Arey, woh bhi toh aadmi hain na, peeche nahi padna chahiye. Naqab chhoo diya toh itna ho gaya… kahin aur chhoo dete toh kya ho jaata,” he remarked during a media interaction, later claiming his comments were being politicised.
So far, there has been no official response from the Chief Minister’s Office or the Janata Dal (United).
Separately, activists in Hyderabad have filed police complaints against Nitish Kumar. Speaking to reporters, activist Khalida Parveen said that someone holding a high constitutional office is expected to uphold dignity and the rule of law.
Her complaint stated that the act amounted to a violation of a Muslim woman’s right to privacy and dignity under Article 21, and her freedom of religion under Article 25 of the Constitution of India.
The incident continues to spark debate over personal dignity, religious freedom, and conduct at official public events.