Amid the ongoing political row over the controversy involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulling down the hijab from the face of an Ayush doctor during the distribution of appointment letters, the Principal of Government Tibbi College, Patna, has said that she is not upset with the Chief Minister and will join the college on Saturday.
Government Tibbi College Principal Prof (Dr) Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman said that Dr Nusrat Parveen had spoken to her friend Bilkis and conveyed that the issue was being unnecessarily dragged out.
Nusrat, a postgraduate student at Government Tibbi College in Patna, has not attended the college for the past four days. This was being linked to reports that she was “hurt” by the incident. Her teachers said that she is a meritorious student and has been attending the college wearing a hijab for the past seven years.
Following the incident, Nusrat neither attended the college nor made any public comment.
Her brother had earlier informed the media that she had firmly decided not to take up the job, although he and other family members were trying to persuade her otherwise.
“We are telling her that it was someone else’s mistake, so why should she give up her job?” he said.
Meanwhile, Bihar’s main Opposition party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the incident, calling it “an insult to women.”
RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad said the incident exposed the NDA government’s mindset towards the Muslim community and alleged that Nitish Kumar was indulging in politics to please the BJP and the RSS.
He further said, “The Constitution of India grants people of all religions the freedom to follow their respective religious traditions and customs. When a person occupying the post of Chief Minister forcibly commits such an act, it appears that Bihar is being governed by the ideology of the RSS. Nitish Kumar should apologise for this act, as he has insulted the entire community of women.”
The All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA) held a protest in Patna on Friday against the incident. Speakers at the demonstration said that the episode had not only hurt the dignity of a woman doctor but had also insulted women across Bihar.
Addressing the gathering, former CPI (ML) legislator Mehboob Alam claimed that statements made by BJP leaders after the incident had further worsened the situation. He alleged that such attacks on the rights of women and minorities under the protection of those in power pose a danger to democracy.