People’s Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti on Friday approached the Kothibagh Police Station in Srinagar to lodge an FIR against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over a video that has gone viral, allegedly showing him pulling the niqab of a Muslim woman doctor during an official event in Patna.
Addressing the media, Mufti described the act as degrading and said it exposed a “misogynistic and insensitive mindset” towards women and religious minorities. She said such conduct was especially serious when it involved someone occupying a constitutional position. “This is not something that can be ignored or normalised,” she remarked.
Mufti noted that debates and controversies around the burqa and niqab have surfaced repeatedly over the years. According to her, incidents like this point to a larger pattern in which the dignity of Muslim women is routinely questioned or violated. “These are not stray incidents. They reflect a deeper problem that must be confronted decisively,” she said.
She also took aim at the initial response — or lack thereof — from political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir after the video emerged. “There was a noticeable silence at first. When reactions eventually came, some sounded more like attempts to justify the act rather than condemn it. That is deeply troubling,” Mufti added.
The alleged incident has sparked outrage nationwide, with activists and opposition leaders terming it an assault on women’s dignity and religious freedom. Social media platforms have seen a wave of criticism directed at the Bihar chief minister, with calls for accountability growing louder.
Mufti was accompanied by senior PDP leaders, including Waheed Parra, Budgam MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, and Mohit Bhan, when she submitted the complaint at the Srinagar police station.
