Ranchi: Murtuza Alam, a social activist residing in Ranchi district, has filed an application at a police station demanding that a criminal case be registered against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The complaint alleges that CM Nitish Kumar forcibly removed the veil/hijab of a Muslim woman doctor present on stage at a public event, thereby violating her religious and personal freedom and dignity.
What the application states
According to the application filed by social activist and complainant Murtuza Alam, while addressing a government program of the Bihar government from the stage, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar removed the hijab of a Muslim woman doctor sitting next to him without her permission. A video clip of the incident has now gone viral on social media. The application states that the hijab is not merely a piece of clothing but an important part of the religious faith, personal identity, and self-respect of Muslim women, and removing a woman’s veil without her consent is an attack on her physical and mental autonomy and religious freedom. Citing the Constitution and the law, the application claims that the Chief Minister’s act violates the rights to equality, personal liberty, and religious freedom guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 21, and 25 of the Indian Constitution. The complaint describes it as a “highly objectionable act,” stating that it has hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community, especially women, and has negatively impacted social harmony and public peace.
A matter of public debate!
The application states that this incident is not limited to the woman doctor concerned but is a matter related to the respect and privacy of women of the entire Muslim community, and it has deepened the sense of insecurity among the minority community. The complaint mentions that due to the widespread circulation of the video on social media, this issue is no longer a private incident but has become a subject of public debate, raising concerns about a potential increase in communal tension. Social activist Murtuza Alam, in his application to the in-charge of Itki police station in Ranchi, has demanded that an FIR be registered against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, followed by an impartial investigation, and if found guilty, his arrest and prosecution.
