Former child actor Zaira Wasim has strongly criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over an incident at a public function in Patna, calling his conduct “infuriating” and demanding an “unconditional apology” to the woman involved.
Zaira Wasim reacts to Nitish Kumar incident
Taking to X on Monday night, Zaira reacted to a viral video from an appointment ceremony at the Chief Minister’s secretariat, where Kumar was seen pulling down a woman’s hijab on stage. The former actor said the moment was deeply upsetting and underscored that a woman’s dignity should never be treated casually, especially in a public setting.
“A woman’s dignity and modesty are not props to toy with. Least of all on a public stage. As a Muslim woman, watching another woman’s niqab being pulled at so casually, accompanied by that nonchalant smile, was so infuriating,” Zaira wrote. “Power does not grant permission to violate boundaries. @NitishKumar owes that woman an unconditional apology,” she added.
The incident that caused outrage
The incident occurred during an official event at ‘Samvad’ in Patna, where appointment letters were being distributed to over 1,000 newly recruited AYUSH doctors. When it was Nusrat Parveen’s turn to receive her appointment letter, she approached the stage with her face covered by a hijab. According to reports, the 75-year-old Chief Minister appeared displeased and remarked, “What is this?” before leaning forward and pulling down her veil.
Visibly startled, the young doctor was quickly escorted away from the stage by an official. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who was standing beside Kumar, was also seen attempting to intervene by tugging at the Chief Minister’s sleeve.
About Zaira Wasim
Zaira Wasim, who rose to fame with performances in films like Dangal and Secret Superstar, was last seen on screen in Shonali Bose’s 2019 film The Sky Is Pink. Shortly after, she stepped away from acting, stating that the film industry conflicted with her personal faith.
Earlier this year, Zaira announced her marriage, sharing pictures from her nikaah on X with the caption, “Qubool hai.”