Srinagar, 19 December (H.S.): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar should apologise to the woman doctor whose veil he pulled down at a government function, triggering a massive controversy.
Commenting on Union minister Giriraj Singh defending Kumar, he said one could not expect anything different from the BJP, and added that had a Muslim leader touched a Hindu woman’s veil, there would have been “hue and cry”.
The incident took place on Monday in Patna when Ayush doctors had gathered at the secretariat to receive their letters of appointment. When the woman came up for her letter, CM Nitish Kumar saw her ‘naqab’, said “what is this”, and then removed the veil.
Speaking to reporters here, Abdullah wondered what was the need for Kumar to touch the woman’s clothes.
”Would you do such an act.. I would not… now I hear the concerned doctor has refused to accept the appointment letter and will not join government service. Nitish Kumar should apologise to her and persuade her to take up the government service,” he said.
Asked about BJP leader and Union minister Giriraj Singh’s statement that Kumar did nothing wrong, Abdullah said, “One cannot expect anything different from that party. If a Muslim leader had touched the veil of a Hindu woman in Haryana or Rajasthan…what a hue and cry there would have been. But since the woman in question here is Muslim, the BJP finds nothing wrong with it.”
It was not about religion but the Bihar chief minister’s actions were unacceptable, he further said.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar
