Zaira Wasim calls out Bihar CM Nitish Kumar over niqab incident
Zaira Wasim, former Bollywood actor, has publicly asked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for an unconditional apology after he pulled down a female doctor's niqab at a government event.
The moment was caught on video and quickly went viral, sparking outrage online.
What actually happened?
During a ceremony in Patna where appointment letters were given to over 1,000 AYUSH doctors, Dr. Nusrat Parveen approached the stage wearing her niqab.
Kumar reportedly questioned her appearance before removing the niqab himself.
The act drew immediate reactions—an official led Dr. Parveen away while others tried to intervene.
How did people react?
Wasim took to X (formerly Twitter), saying, "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."
Political parties also slammed Kumar—some called his actions "shameless" and demanded his resignation—while others pointed fingers across party lines.
So far, Kumar's party hasn't responded directly.