Patna, Dec 21: A woman doctor whose niqab was pulled down by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during an official event earlier this week did not join duty on Saturday, news agency PTI reported.
The incident occurred on December 15 at the chief minister’s secretariat in Patna during a programme where appointment letters were being distributed to newly recruited AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) practitioners. A video showing Kumar pulling down the niqab of the doctor, identified as Nusrat Parveen, triggered widespread outrage on social media and sharp criticism from Opposition leaders.
Following the circulation of the video, Iltija Mufti of the Peoples Democratic Party filed a police complaint against the Bihar chief minister in Srinagar, alleging an affront to the woman’s dignity.
Amid the controversy, Parveen did not report for duty till 7 pm on Saturday, and the “possibility window for the day” was closed, Patna Civil Surgeon Avinash Kumar Singh was quoted as saying. He added that the deadline for joining had been extended beyond December 20, and it remained uncertain whether the doctor would join work on Monday.
Vijay Kumar, a surgeon at the Sabalpur public health centre in Patna Sadar—where Parveen was posted—also confirmed that she had not joined duty. “Several doctors joined today, but Parveen was not among them. Although her name figures on the list, we have not yet received her appointment letter from the civil surgeon’s office,” he said.
The incident drew condemnation from rights groups as well. Amnesty International termed the chief minister’s action an “assault on the woman’s dignity, autonomy and identity,” warning that such conduct by a public official risks normalising violations of women’s rights.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Jharkhand, state Health Minister Irfan Ansari offered Parveen a government position in the state with a reported monthly salary of Rs 3 lakh, government accommodation and a preferred posting. “I am a doctor first, and then a minister,” Ansari said, adding that the incident had hurt the entire medical fraternity and sent a wrong message nationally.
The controversy has put the Janata Dal (United) leader under intense political scrutiny, with Opposition parties demanding accountability and a public apology over the episode.
