New Delhi: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has issued a strong letter of condemnation against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over an incident in which he allegedly pulled down the naqab of a woman doctor during a public function in Patna.
In its letter released on Saturday, the SCBA expressed its “strongest condemnation” of the incident, stating that it was shocking and deeply disturbing that a person holding such a high constitutional office would attempt to demean the dignity and autonomy of a woman in a public setting.
The incident occurred on December 15 at the chief minister’s secretariat in Patna during a ceremony organised to distribute appointment letters to newly recruited Ayush doctors. According to widely circulated video footage, when the woman doctor approached the stage wearing a naqab, the chief minister remarked, “What is this?” and proceeded to pull down her veil. The video sparked widespread outrage and a major political controversy.
The SCBA noted that the act went beyond mere impropriety and amounted to a serious violation of the woman’s personal autonomy, agency and religious freedom. “Besides infringing on her autonomy, agency and religious freedom, it is a reflection of the depraving attitude against women in general,” the letter stated.
The association also condemned “vile comments” allegedly made by Union Minister Giriraj Singh and Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad in connection with the incident, stating that such remarks further undermined the dignity of women and normalised disrespectful behaviour.
Signed by SCBA Secretary Pragya Baghel, the letter said the association views both the act of pulling down the naqab and the subsequent comments by political leaders as a grave infringement of a woman’s personal dignity. It described the incident as “an affront to the principles of equality and non-discrimination enshrined in the Constitution.”
The SCBA has demanded an unconditional apology from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and others involved, calling for accountability and greater sensitivity from those holding public office.