LEADERSHIP acts as a moral mirror of the society it governs.

In democracies that claim political maturity, elected representatives are expected to display restraint, dignity and respect for the beliefs and personal boundaries of all citizens. The ballot is not merely a procedural tool; it is a covenant of trust through which people entrust their leaders with the protection of their honour, faith and fundamental freedoms. India has long projected itself as the world’s largest democracy, deriving prestige from constitutionalism, pluralism and the rule of law. Yet, at times, events occur that fracture this image and expose disquieting realities beneath the surface.

One such incident recently unfolded in the Indian State of Bihar, where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar crossed a line, no civilized authority should ever approach. At a public function, in full public view, he forcibly removed the veil of a Muslim woman, Dr. Nusrat Parveen. This was neither accidental nor a harmless lapse of judgment. It was a conscious intrusion into a woman’s personal, religious and bodily autonomy, carried out by the highest executive authority of the province. In that single moment, individual dignity was violated and the moral pretensions of the state stood exposed. For millions of Muslim women, the veil—irrespective of differing opinions about........

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