By The South Asia Times

NEW DELHI – Indian Muslims say they “do not feel safe in India” anymore following a recent incident in Bihar, where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulled down the hijab of a Muslim woman doctor at a government event.

A viral video circulating on social media shows the incident, and a Muslim woman speaking to a local TV channel said, “We Muslims do not feel safe in India now.”

She was responding to the actions of CM Kumar last week, who forcibly removed the hijab of Dr. Nusrat Parveen, a newly appointed AYUSH doctor, at an official function.

The Chief Minister’s action has drawn widespread criticism and fear among India’s Muslim community and abroad, with many observers describing it as a sign of growing Islamophobia in India.

In the video, Kumar is seen gesturing toward Dr. Parveen’s hijab before pulling it down and exposing part of her face, prompting shock and outrage online as officials and onlookers react.

In another video, an unnamed Muslim woman, speaking to a local reporter, said that the environment that once existed in India “is no longer there.”

She said  the country is being shaped into a “Hindu extremist state” and described the treatment of Muslims as “very unsafe.”

She questioned how anyone could pull off a hijab at a social event and warned that reactions would have been very different if the victim were a non-Muslim.

“I think if such an act had happened to any Hindu girl, what would the public reaction have been?” she asked. She added that the incident received little attention because it involved a Muslim woman.

She concluded that India has moved toward a Hindu extremist state, and no Muslim feels safe anymore.

- Political and Public Reaction

The incident has drawn condemnation from opposition politicians and civil society figures. Congress party leaders criticized both the Chief Minister’s actions and the broader climate facing minorities. Local Congress leader Tejasswi Prakash wrote on X:

“It breaks my heart that Muslim women in my country are openly saying, ‘We don’t feel safe in India anymore.’ This fear is not imagined; it is the result of divisive policies and silence on hate. Safety, dignity & citizenship are constitutional rights, not favours. Is this the India we promised?”

Opposition parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), along with leaders like Iltija Mufti, have filed complaints and demanded accountability, arguing the act violated personal and religious freedom.

Even within India, figures from Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, called for an apology from Nitish Kumar, emphasizing that no public official has the right to interfere with another person’s clothing or religious expression.

- Broader Backlash and International Concern

The controversy has sparked criticism beyond India’s borders. Officials and commentators in neighbouring countries and Muslim communities have condemned the incident. Protests and demonstrations have taken place in parts of India, with rallies organized by Muslim groups asserting that the hijab removal was an affront to dignity and religious freedom.

Union ministers from the ruling alliance defended the Chief Minister’s actions, claiming they were in compliance with procedural norms, and dismissed criticism as misplaced. This has further fueled debates around religious tolerance and minority rights.

The hijab removal row continues to provoke discussions about women’s safety, religious freedom, and secularism in India, with many observers warning that ruling party spreading hatred against the minorities, especially against Muslims.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came into power, critics say that the country has witnessed rising hatred toward Muslims and other minorities, with the BJP and its militant wing RSS openly targeting Muslims.

UN Human Rights officials and international rights organizations have highlighted ongoing anti-minority policies under the Modi government. However, the international community has so far taken little practical action to protect minorities in India.