'She can go to hell': BJP Minister Giriraj Singh defends Nitish Kumar over hijab removal incident involving Muslim doctor
He did nothing wrong, is how Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday chose to defend Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar whose recent act of assault against a Muslim woman doctor at a public event in Patna triggered widespread backlash. The BJP minister was responding to Monday's incident in Patna where Nitish Kumar pulled the veil (naqab) off the face of a newly-recruited AYUSH doctor while she was receiving her letter of appointment. Singh also remarked that the doctor can go to hell when asked about reports regarding the woman refusing to take up the job allegedly due to trauma caused by the incident, reported PTI. If someone is going to collect an appointment letter, should they not show their face? Is this some Islamic country? Nitish Kumar acted as a guardian, Singh said adding that the CM has done nothing wrong. If you are going to get a passport, do you not show your face? When you go to the airport, do you not show your face? People talk about Pakistan and Englishtan, but this is India. In India, the rule of law prevails, he said. When asked about the woman rejecting the appointment, Singh said, Whether she refuses the job or goes to hell, that's her choice (Woh refuse kare ya jahannum mein jaye). Singh's remarks came shortly after Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey said that he was not aware of the doctor rejecting the appointment due to the incident. I have no such information, Pandey said while also attempting to justify the CM by insisting, Women have always been respected by our CM, who has made huge efforts for the empowerment of Matri Shakti. Nusrat Parveen, a doctor hailing from Kolkata, was among ten Ayush doctors who had turned up at the Chief Minister's Secretariat on Monday to receive their letters of appointment. When Parveen's turn came, the 75-year-old CM pointed towards her veil and exclaimed 'what is this' before pulling it down and exposing her face. The incident has drawn criticism globally, with many accusing Nitish Kumar of disrespecting Muslim traditions, allegedly in line with the RSS agenda. Meanwhile, several opposition leaders slammed the remarks made by Giriraj Singh as cheap and filthy. Congress MP from Bihar's Katihar, Tariq Anwar called the minister a person with cheap mentality. These are third-rate people, they have a cheap mindset. They dont understand that our country is secular. Everyone is free to practice their religion. What Nitish Kumar has done is shameful and saddening, Anwar said. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti also lashed out at Singh. Only phenyl will work to clean this man's filthy mouth. You dare not touch the hijabs & naqabs of our Muslim mothers and sisters. Otherwise we Muslim women will set you right by teaching you a lesson you and your ilk will remember for all times to come, she said on X. NCP (SP) MP Fauzia Khan also hit out Kumar and Singh. It is very saddening that responsible people do such acts, this will send a wrong message in the world. It is a personal decision of a woman as to how much she covers up and removing the veil is akin to disrobing a woman. He (Kumar) should have given a pubic apology but instead of that they are saying that what happened was right, she said. Asked about Singh's remarks, Congress MP Imran Masood said, He needs treatment for mental sickness. (With inputs from PTI) J&K leaders demand apology, resignation after Bihar CM Nitish Kumar pulls down woman doctors hijab
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