Srinagar, Dec 19: Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday condemned the act of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulling the veil off a woman’s face, describing it as a “grave violation of personal dignity and moral boundaries”.
Addressing the Friday congregation at the Jamia Masjid here, Farooq, who is also the chief cleric of Kashmir, said no position of authority, power or office grants the right to interfere with another person’s self-respect.
The incident, a video clip of which has been circulated widely, took place on Monday at the chief minister’s secretariat in Patna, where Ayush doctors gathered to receive their letters of appointment.
When the woman came up for her letter, Kumar saw her ‘naqab’, said “what is this” and then removed the veil, prompting the opposition parties to demand an unconditional apology from the chief minister.
“It was a grave violation of personal dignity and moral boundaries. When dignity is violated in public, particularly by someone in a position of authority, it sends a deeply troubling message that power can override ethics and basic human values,” the Mirwaiz said.
He expressed regret that instead of apologising for Kumar’s actions, certain political parties and sections of the media are attempting to justify the act by “mischaracterising” it as an issue of women’s empowerment, and “deliberately dragging the debate into the question of hijab”.
“Such diversions are mischievous and further expose the bigoted mindset of those indulging in them and their limited understanding of Islam,” he said.
The Hurriyat chief also said it is a matter of faith, identity and personal choice for Muslim women who wear naqab, which has never been a barrier to education, professional excellence, or social contribution “as is being deliberately implied to justify the chef minister’s actions”.
Pointing out that women who wear hijab have, across the world, made outstanding achievements in every sphere of life, the Mirwaiz said they have proved that empowerment lies in equal opportunity and hard work, not in the manner of dressing.
The Mirwaiz also said proprietary demands that the Bihar chief minister apologise to the woman for his action, and those indulging in “ridiculous justifications” stop imposing ideological labels or justifying acts under the garb of “so-called progress”.(PTI)
