Union minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday triggered fresh controversy with a crude remark while defending Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar amid an uproar over an incident involving a woman wearing a hijab at an official event.
Singh, who has emerged as one of Kumar’s strongest defenders in the row, said the chief minister had done “nothing wrong” by asking a woman to reveal her face while receiving an appointment letter. Drawing parallels with identity verification procedures, Singh argued that showing one’s face is a routine requirement.
“If anyone goes to collect an appointment letter, shouldn’t they show their face? Is this an Islamic nation?” Singh told reporters. “If you apply for a passport or go to an airport, don’t you show your face? This is India, and Indian laws will apply here. Nitish Kumar acted like a guardian.”
When asked what would have happened if the woman had refused to accept the job under those circumstances, Singh responded sharply: "She can refuse or go to hell".
The remark has drawn widespread condemnation.
Political backlash was swift. PDP leader Iltija Mufti, daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, strongly criticised Singh’s statement, calling it offensive and disrespectful to Muslim women.
The controversy stems from an event on Tuesday where Nitish Kumar was distributing appointment letters to over 1,200 AYUSH doctors. A video from the event showed Kumar speaking to a woman wearing a veil and then briefly pulling it down, even as Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary appeared to intervene.
Opposition parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress, accused Kumar of violating personal boundaries and disrespecting religious choice. Kumar’s party, the Janata Dal (United), has defended him, dismissing criticism as politically motivated attacks on the 74-year-old leader, who recently returned to power with a strong mandate.
Minority Welfare Minister Zama Khan said the chief minister’s action was being misrepresented. “Nitish-ji only showed affection to a Muslim daughter. He wanted society to see her face after her success,” Khan said, accusing opposition leaders of attempting to malign Kumar’s image.
However, further controversy erupted after NDA ally and Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad made a controversial comment while defending Kumar, questioning the scale of outrage and making remarks that drew criticism for being insensitive and inappropriate.