Veil Row: Zakia Soman Slams Nitish Kumar's 'Patriarchal' Act; Karan Verma Calls It An 'Honest Mistake'

On this India Today debate, activist Zakia Soman and analyst Karan Verma discuss the controversy surrounding Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulling the veil of an Ayush doctor. Zakia Soman condemns the incident as ‘highly patriarchal’ and a ‘criminal act’ under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, stating, ‘It is a criminal act to outrage the modesty of a woman.’ She demands a stern warning from the National Commission for Women. Conversely, Karan Verma argues the act was an ‘honest mistake’ and cautions against giving it a ‘religious colour,’ though he agrees an apology is due. The discussion follows PDP leader Iltija Mufti filing an FIR and J&K CM Omar Abdullah questioning the BJP’s silence.