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Mayawati terms Bihar hijab row ‘unfortunate’, targets Nitish
In a post on X, the BSP chief said it would be appropriate for the Bihar CM to view the incident in the right perspective, express regret and make efforts to end the dispute
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday strongly criticised Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar over the hijab controversy, saying instead of being resolved at an early stage the issue had snowballed into a major dispute due to avoidable statements by ministers and others.
In a statement posted on X, she referred to the incident during a public programme in Bihar where a Muslim woman doctor was asked to remove her hijab (veil) while receiving an appointment letter. She said the matter was directly related to women’s safety and dignity and should have been resolved long ago.
Calling the continuing controversy “sad and unfortunate,” Mayawati said it would be appropriate for the CM to view the incident in the right perspective, express regret and make efforts to end the dispute. She also noted that similar incidents were being reported from other places, making it all the more necessary for governments to act sensitively and responsibly in such matters.
Moreover, the BSP chief also took strong exception to an incident in Bahraich district, where a Hindu preacher was reportedly given a salute during a police parade, allegedly in violation of established police traditions and rules. She said police parades and salutes have their own discipline, sanctity and defined protocols, and any deviation amounts to playing with the system.
Mayawati said it was a positive step that the UP DGP Rajeev Krishna had taken cognisance of the matter and sought an explanation from the district police chief. “People are now waiting for action,” she remarked, urging the state government to take the issue seriously and ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the interest of police discipline and the rule of law.
On legislative affairs, she criticised the short winter session of the UP assembly, which began on December 19, alleging that it remained detached from the issues of public interest and welfare. The BSP chief said the session, like previous ones, was largely consumed by arguments between the ruling party and the opposition, instead of addressing pressing problems such as the shortage of fertilisers for farmers and other public welfare concerns.
She also expressed disappointment over the conclusion of the winter session of Parliament, saying it ended without meaningful discussion on critical national issues. “People across the country were expecting serious deliberations that could offer some hope, but that did not happen,” she said.
Raising concerns over foreign developments, Mayawati said the rapidly deteriorating situation in neighbouring Bangladesh and the rise in anti-India activities there, similar to the trends seen in Nepal, were worrying. She urged the Centre to take serious cognisance of the developments and act under a long-term policy framework to safeguard national interests.
