'I condemn it in very strong words': Javed Akhtar calls for unconditional apology from Nitish Kumar over hijab incident

Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has strongly criticized Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over a viral video that shows him attempting to remove a woman's hijab during a government event in Patna.

In a post shared on X, Akhtar called the incident unacceptable and stated that the Chief Minister owed the woman an "unconditional apology."

Akhtar, who has often spoken publicly about his opposition to the traditional practice of purdah, made it clear that his personal views do not justify interfering with a woman's choice or dignity. Reacting to the video, Akhtar wrote, "Everyone who knows me, even in the most cursory manner, knows how much I am against the traditional concept of purdah. But that doesn't mean, by any stretch of the imagination, that I can accept what Mr. Nitish Kumar has done to a Muslim lady doctor. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. Mr. Nitish Kumar owes an unconditional apology to the lady."


His remarks come amid mounting criticism from opposition parties over the widely circulated video from the government event in Patna, where Nitish Kumar was seen pulling down the hijab of a woman while handing her a certificate.

The video, which has sparked nationwide outrage, shows the incident taking place during a ceremony at the Chief Minister's office, where appointment letters were being distributed to newly recruited AYUSH doctors. Before she could respond, Kumar reached out and lowered the head covering, revealing the woman's mouth and chin.

Zaira Wasim, who made her acting debut with Aamir Khan's 'Dangal,' also took to her social media account on Tuesday to react to the incident, calling it a violation of a woman's dignity.

Her post read, "A woman's dignity and modesty are not props to toy with. Least of all on a public stage. As a Muslim woman, watching another woman's niqab being pulled at so casually, accompanied by that nonchalant smile, was so infuriating. Power does not grant permission to violate boundaries. @NitishKumar owes that woman an unconditional apology."