PATNA: A video clip of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar politely declining to wear a skullcap at a recent event has gone viral, igniting a social media firestorm and reigniting a long-standing political debate. The incident took place on Thursday at a function for the Bihar State Madrasa Education Board, where an attendee offered the traditional Muslim headwear to the CM.
In the viral video, Nitish Kumar, with a smile, can be seen using both hands to push back the offering. The Janata Dal (United) leader, who has been photographed wearing a skullcap at Muslim events in the past, eventually accepted it but then placed it on the head of his colleague and Minority Welfare Minister Mohammed Zama Khan. The video was originally shared by news agency ANI but was later deleted, though it continued to circulate widely on social media platform X.
मदरसा बोर्ड के शताब्दी समारोह में सबको सौगात,
— Arvind_kumar (@Arvinds28250877) August 21, 2025
मुस्लिम समाज के लिए काम गिनाए हज़ार,
मंच पर नारे – 2025 में फिर से नीतीश
“विकास की बातें बहुत,
टोपी पहनने में हिचकिचाहट! नीतीश बाबू
टोपी पर दिखी उनकी अजीब सी खीझ!"#Bihar #NitishKumar #Madrasa pic.twitter.com/0uaYU7HAtk
The incident is particularly significant because it draws a direct parallel to a 2013 controversy when Nitish Kumar, then a bitter political rival of Narendra Modi, criticized him for refusing to wear a skullcap offered by a Muslim cleric. At the time, during the Lok Sabha election campaign, Nitish had famously stated that a true leader of India must wear both “topi” and “tilak” (symbols of the Muslim and Hindu communities, respectively). His remarks were widely interpreted as a jab at Modi’s alleged communal politics.
The political journey of Nitish Kumar has been marked by frequent shifts. He was once a minister in the BJP-led NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee but later parted ways with the alliance in 2013, citing his disapproval of Modi becoming the leader and the lingering memory of the 2002 Gujarat riots. After winning the 2015 state elections in an alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, he rejoined the NDA in 2017. He then left the alliance again in 2022 before returning once more in early 2024. The JD(U) and BJP are currently in an alliance ahead of the 2025 Bihar assembly election.
At the Madrasa Board event, Nitish Kumar took the opportunity to highlight his government’s work for the Muslim community. He stated that since 2006, his administration has initiated several schemes, including the fencing of graveyards to prevent conflicts. He also noted that madrasas have been registered and granted government recognition, and their teachers are now receiving salaries on par with government school teachers.
He specifically mentioned a financial assistance program for abandoned Muslim women, which was launched in 2007 with a monthly assistance of ₹10,000 and has now been increased to ₹25,000. Nitish Kumar concluded his speech by asserting that his government works for the development of all sections of society, regardless of their caste or religion.