New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is going through sharp criticism from Opposition events after a video emerged, displaying him flattening the niqab of a newly appointed AYUSH practitioner throughout an occasion in Patna.

The incident, based on native stories, occurred on the Chief Minister’s Secretariat throughout an appointment letter distribution ceremony for 1,283 AYUSH (ayurveda, yoga & naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy) practitioners.

The 11-second clip reveals Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who was standing beside Kumar, reaching for the chief minister’s arm as if to cease him.

The Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), on its official X account, questioned the chief minister’s well being. “What has occurred to Nitish ji? His psychological state has now reached a totally pitiable situation, or has Nitish Babu turn into 100% Sanghi now?” the get together wrote.

RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad advised The Indian Categorical that Kumar’s motion was a violation of constitutional rights, and demanded an apology from the CM.

Congress labelled the act “shameful”, “vile” and “disgusting”, and demanded Kumar’s resignation.

“Pulling a girl’s niqab whereas handing her an appointment letter — that is extraordinarily shameful and reprehensible. When the pinnacle of the state does such an act overtly, what confidence can there be within the security of girls? Nitish Kumar ought to instantly resign,” the get together’s Bihar unit posted on X.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Priyanka Chaturvedi termed it “public harassment” and “completely condemnable”.

However JD(U) chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar defended the chief minister, saying the incident mustn’t outline him or the get together. “One ought to have a look at the bigger image of what Nitish Kumar has carried out for ladies’s empowerment and minority welfare. A stray visible picture shouldn’t be performed up unnecessarily by the Opposition,” he was quoted as saying by The Indian Categorical.

Bihar’s Minority Welfare Minister Zama Khan advised information company ANI that the Chief Minister respects everybody.

“He at all times assures everybody he’s a guardian greater than a CM. The lady within the video is sort of a baby to him, and his motion may need come out of affection… Nitish Kumar respects minorities loads, and it hurts to see folks elevating fingers at him,” he mentioned.

Individually, BJP leaders posted an apparently older video of former Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress chief Ashok Gehlot, who’s seen within the clip eradicating a girl’s “ghoonghat (veil)”. BJP’s Radhika Khera, posting the Gehlot video, requested in a submit on X why the Congress hadn’t defended the Hindu neighborhood then.

The newest controversy has revived criticism over Kumar’s health for workplace. Election strategist Prashant Kishor had questioned the CM’s psychological and bodily well being forward of Bihar elections earlier this yr. Kishor later advised NDTV his considerations have been “not about age”.

The row comes a month after Kumar took oath as chief minister for the tenth time following meeting elections that noticed the JD(U)- and BJP-led alliance win over 200 of 243 seats in Bihar.

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