Nitish Kumar Hijab Row: Zakia Soman Calls It 'Criminal Act', Karan Varma Warns Against 'Religious Color'

On this India Today debate, anchor Preeti Choudhry discusses the controversy surrounding Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulling the hijab of an AYUSH doctor, Nusrat Parveen, at a public event. Women Rights Activist Zakia Soman condemns the act as 'highly patriarchal' and 'inappropriate', arguing it violates the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 74 and 75-76 regarding outraging a woman's modesty. She demands a public apology and action from the National Commission for Women. Political Analyst Karan Varma agrees that the Chief Minister's action was wrong and invaded personal space but argues against giving the incident a 'religious color' or politicizing it as an attack on a specific community. The discussion explores the boundaries of personal space, the dignity of women in public life, and the political ramifications of the incident.