Questions are being raised about the behaviour and mental health of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after an incident at a government event in Patna on Monday. During the event, Kumar was seen pulling down the hijab of a woman while handing her a certificate. The moment was caught on camera and the video quickly went viral on social media, leading to widespread criticism.

The video, shared on social media platform X, shows the 74-year-old Chief Minister giving an appointment certificate to a woman doctor from the AYUSH department, which includes Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy. While handing over the certificate, Nitish Kumar suddenly pulled down the woman’s hijab, exposing her mouth and chin. The woman appeared uncomfortable during the moment.

Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who was present on stage, tried to stop Nitish Kumar during the incident. However, the action had already been recorded and shared widely online. Many people reacted strongly, calling the act inappropriate and disrespectful.

Opposition parties strongly criticised Nitish Kumar over the incident. The Congress party described his action as “shameless” and “vile” and demanded his resignation. In a post on X written in Hindi, the Congress questioned Kumar’s mental condition and said his behaviour was deeply troubling. The party said that a chief minister should protect women’s dignity, not violate it, and asked how safe women could feel in the state if such actions were seen from the highest office.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) also attacked Kumar. RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad said the incident showed the attitude of the JDU-BJP alliance towards women, especially Muslim women. He said removing a woman’s hijab goes against her cultural and religious rights, which are protected under the Indian Constitution. According to him, such behaviour takes away a woman’s freedom to live according to her beliefs.

However, leaders from the ruling party defended Nitish Kumar. Minority Welfare Minister Zama Khan said that the Chief Minister has always respected all communities. He claimed that Kumar behaves like a guardian to everyone and that his action may have come from affection, not bad intention. Khan said the woman in the video was like a child to Kumar and that people should not misunderstand his behaviour.

Khan also said that Nitish Kumar has done a lot of development work for Bihar and that it was unfair for the opposition to question him. He added that every situation can be seen from different perspectives and that Kumar’s nature has always been caring and respectful. The incident has sparked a political debate and raised serious questions about conduct, women’s dignity, and respect for personal and religious boundaries in public life.