THE recent incident in which the hijab of a Muslim woman doctor was pulled down during a graduation ceremony by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is not an isolated lapse of etiquette.

Nor is it likely to be the last public humiliation of minorities in India. Rather, it reflects a deeply entrenched mindset among the Hindutva-influenced elite toward religious and social minorities, particularly Muslims. The act laid bare a political culture in which Muslim identity is increasingly viewed as something to be policed, erased or publicly demeaned even during occasions meant to celebrate merit, education and national progress. Although the incident received widespread media attention because it involved a sitting Chief Minister, countless similar acts of humiliation, exploitation and violence against minorities occur daily across India without attracting comparable notice. Indian officials, vigilante groups and segments of the Hindu majority routinely target minority communities, resulting in injuries, destruction of property and, in many cases, loss of life. Attempts to excuse the Bihar Chief Minister’s conduct by citing age or health concerns are unconvincing. The act appeared deliberate and symbolic, reflecting intolerance and contempt rather than inadvertence.

It is important to note that the hijab posed no security risk and did not obstruct the ceremony in any way. The humiliation was therefore not procedural but ideological. Such incidents are manifestations of the Hindutva worldview, which has gradually seeped into Indian statecraft and public life. This mindset is no longer confined to the Bharatiya Janata Party........

© Pakistan Observer