Srinagar, Dec 17: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday sharply criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the recent niqab incident, suggesting that the Bihar leader may be “revealing his true colours.”
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Srinagar, Abdullah said Nitish Kumar, once regarded as a secular leader, had acted in a manner that could not be justified. His remarks came after Kumar was seen removing the face veil of a Muslim woman doctor during a public function, triggering widespread criticism.
“What Nitish Kumar did was wrong. There is no justification for removing a woman’s face veil like that,” Abdullah said. “If he did not want to hand over the order to her directly, there were other ways to handle the situation. Publicly humiliating her is unacceptable.”
Drawing a parallel with a past incident in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah recalled how former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had removed a burqa from a voter inside a polling station. “That was wrong then, and this is wrong now. Such actions should not be repeated,” he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister added that such incidents raise serious concerns and reflect poorly on leaders who claim to uphold secular and democratic values.
The controversy erupted earlier this week after visuals of the Bihar Chief Minister removing the niqab of a Muslim woman at a function went viral, drawing criticism from opposition leaders and civil society.