Hyderabad: 19 December Posted on 8:37 PM IST
A protest was held in Hyderabad on Friday against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his attempt to remove the niqab of a Muslim woman during a government event in Patna. Protesters accused the Chief Minister of violating constitutional rights and demanded a public apology.
Muslim Youth form Amberpet gathered after Friday Prayer and raised slogans condemning the act. They said the incident hurt the dignity of Muslim women and sent a negative message across the country.
Protesters shouted slogans demanding an apology from Nitish Kumar and accused him of insulting religious freedom. They said touching or removing a woman’s niqab amounts to an attack on personal liberty and faith. They also burnt the effigy of Nitish Kumar.
Speakers at the protest said the Constitution gives every citizen the right to practice religion freely. They said wearing hijab or niqab is a protected right and no authority has the power to interfere.
Mohammed Tariq one of the speakers, said the act sets a dangerous example. He said if a Chief Minister shows such behaviour, it weakens trust in constitutional values. He asked how leaders would react if such an act involved women from their own families.
The protesters also criticised statements made by other political leaders on hijab and niqab issues. They said such remarks encourage disrespect towards Muslim women.
The protest remained peaceful under police watch. Organisers said similar demonstrations will continue if leaders fail to respect constitutional freedoms and the dignity of women belong to minorities group.
Mohammed Naseer Giyas is a multi-media and bilingual journalist with over 20 years of experience across print, digital, and television media. Founder of Raftaar-e-Deccan, he is an alumnus of IVLP, Thomson Reuters Foundation, and ICFJ, and has worked with leading English and Urdu news organisations.
