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Niqab row: Iltija files police complaint against Nitish Kumar
The issue of pulling down of niqab of a Muslim woman doctor by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is refusing to die down in Kashmir with PDP leader Iltija Mufti filing a complaint with police seeking registration of an FIR against Kumar
The issue of pulling down of niqab of a Muslim woman doctor by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is refusing to die down in Kashmir with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti filing a complaint with police seeking registration of an FIR against Kumar while chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq raising the issue during Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid.
Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, along with a few of party leaders reached police station Kothibagh during the day seeking to register an FIR against Kumar.
She handed over an application to the station house officer of Kotjibagh bringing his attention to the ‘vile incident which has caused immense distress & hurt amongst Muslims especially women’.
“A few days ago we watched with shock, horror & worry as Bihar’s CM Nitish Kumar pulled down the niqab of a young Muslim doctor in full public glare at a government function. What made matters worse was the unsettling reaction of the people around, including Bihar’s deputy CM who chuckled & watched with glee,” the complaint said.
A video became viral on social media on Monday in which Nitish Kumar was distributing appointment letters to AYUSH doctors when he apparently pointed towards a woman’s veil and then suddenly pulled it down.
The incident has triggered outrage in J&K after the video of the incident went viral. Political parties, religious and youth leaders in J&K launched a scathing attack and asked him to step down or apologise.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah has also lashed out at Kumar saying his ‘real face’ was coming to the fore.
“The forceful stripping of her niqaab isn’t just a brutal assault on a Muslim lady but on the autonomy, identity & dignity of every Indian woman. The fact that it transpired at a time when the deliberate othering, political & economic disempowerment of Muslims all across India is even more disconcerting, “ Iltija Mufti said.
PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan said that the police received Iltija’s complaint. “ They said that they will assess the complaint and take necessary action,” he said.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti hailed Iltija for filing the complaint saying Nitish should not have pulled down hijab of the woman.
Mehbooba also lashed out at BJP leader Giriraj Singh for defending Kumar.
While addressing the Friday congregation at the historic Jamia Masjid Srinagar, chief cleric and head of Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, strongly condemned the veil pulling act, describing it as a grave violation of personal dignity and moral boundaries.
He said that no position of authority, power, or office grants the right to interfere with another person’s self-respect.
Mirwaiz expressed regret that instead of apologising for his actions certain political parties and sections of the media are attempting to justify the act of the Bihar CM by mischaracterising it as an issue of “women’s empowerment , deliberately dragging the debate into the question of hijab” .
Mirwaiz said that that proprietary demands that the CM of Bihar apologise to the woman for his actions.
