Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday sharply criticised the BJP over its response to the hijab controversy involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing the party of hypocrisy and selective outrage.
Reacting to the incident in which Nitish Kumar was seen pulling at the veil of a Muslim woman doctor during a public function, Omar Abdullah said such behaviour would have triggered massive backlash had the woman belonged to another community.
“Had a Muslim man lifted the veil of a Hindu woman, imagine the kind of trouble it would have caused,” Abdullah said amid growing demands for an apology. “But because the woman is a Muslim, the BJP is behaving this way. We can expect no better from them.”
Referring to himself, Abdullah added, “If I had lifted the veil of a Hindu woman in Haryana or Rajasthan, would the BJP have said the same things it is saying now?”
BJP Leaders Defend Nitish Kumar, Stir Fresh Controversy
The controversy escalated further after Union minister Giriraj Singh openly defended Nitish Kumar, insisting that the Bihar Chief Minister had done nothing wrong.
“If someone goes to take an appointment letter, shouldn’t they show their face? Is this an Islamic nation?” Singh asked reporters. “When you apply for a passport or go to the airport, don’t you show your face?”
When questioned about what would happen if the woman refused to accept the appointment letter, Singh made a remark that drew sharp criticism. “Woh refuse kare ya jahannum mein jaye (She can refuse or go to hell),” he said.
Singh’s comments triggered outrage across political parties, with opposition leaders accusing the BJP of legitimising disrespectful and discriminatory behaviour.
NDA Ally’s Remarks Add Fuel to Fire
Before Giriraj Singh’s statement, NDA ally and Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad had also courted controversy with crude remarks while defending Nitish Kumar.
Speaking to a local news channel, Nishad questioned the uproar, saying, “If touching the hijab caused such an uproar, what would have happened if he had touched somewhere else?” The remark drew widespread condemnation.
Later, Nishad claimed his comments were misunderstood and taken out of context. Quoted by PTI, he said the statement had been “tweaked and twisted” and blamed regional language nuances for the controversy.
“I come from the Bhojpuri-speaking belt, where expressions differ from region to region. There was no intention to insult anyone,” he said, arguing that dialectal differences were ignored.
However, the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Aam Aadmi Party demanded an unconditional apology, rejecting Nishad’s explanation.
Amnesty International Condemns Incident
The incident also drew international attention, with Amnesty International strongly condemning Nitish Kumar’s action. The global rights organisation termed it an “assault on the woman’s dignity, autonomy and identity.”
“When a public official forcibly pulls down a woman’s hijab, it sends a message that such behaviour is acceptable,” Amnesty said in a statement. “It deepens fear, normalises discrimination and erodes the foundations of equality and freedom of religion.”
Calling for accountability, the organisation urged authorities to ensure that no woman is subjected to such “degrading treatment”.
As political tempers continue to flare, the hijab row has reignited debates around consent, religious freedom and the conduct expected from public officials, with opposition leaders accusing the BJP of shielding allies while ignoring the dignity of minority women.