Outrage in India after official forcibly removes Muslim doctor’s niqab at public event Video

An incident described by critics as Islamophobic has triggered widespread outrage in India after the niqab of a Muslim woman doctor was forcibly removed during a public ceremony in the eastern state of Bihar.

The incident occurred in the state capital, Patna, when Nusrat Parveen, a Muslim doctor, attended an official event to receive her appointment letter. During the ceremony, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar removed her niqab while handing over the document, Caliber.Az reports via SAMAA TV. 

Opposition parties and civil society figures have condemned the act as humiliating and inappropriate, particularly given the chief minister’s high constitutional position. Critics argue that the incident reflects a broader pattern of hostility toward Muslims and has raised serious concerns about respect for religious freedom and women’s dignity in public spaces.

Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, forcibly pulled the Niqab off a female Muslim doctor as she came up to receive her letter of appointment during an official ceremony.

You can imagine what happens to Muslims in parts of India when the cameras aren't rolling. pic.twitter.com/EEHfiY030V

— Muslim Daily (@muslimdaily_) December 15, 2025

The episode has been widely criticised on social media, where users described it as a public humiliation of a Muslim woman and demanded accountability from the state leadership. Many commentators framed the incident as part of a growing climate of intolerance toward religious minorities in India.

The Indian National Congress issued a strong statement, calling the act “vile, shameful and unacceptable,” and demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Party leaders said such behaviour by a senior public official could not be justified and reflected a deeply troubling attitude toward minorities and women.

Akbar Owaisi, a leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), also condemned the incident, saying it was not an isolated case but indicative of a broader mindset in which women’s clothing choices are forcibly dictated. He warned that such actions contribute to the normalisation of hostility toward Muslims.

Following reports of the incident, social media users expressed widespread anger, calling the act shameful and demanding Nitish Kumar’s immediate resignation. Many users described the episode as a disturbing example of public humiliation of Muslim women.

The incident has reignited national debate over religious expression, women’s rights and rising intolerance in India.

By Sabina Mammadli