WEB DESK: Two well-known Hyderabad-based activists, Khalida Parveen and Lubna Sarwath, have lodged police complaints against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar following an incident in which he allegedly tried to pull off a niqab from a woman’s face during a public event.
The incident is said to have taken place on December 15 in Patna during an event distributing appointment letters to newly recruited Ayush doctors.
On December 17, Khalida Parveen approached the Langar Houz police, urging them to file a First Information Report (FIR) against the Chief Minister for allegedly outraging the modesty of a woman.
She argued in her complaint that in a secular country like India, forcibly removing a Muslim woman’s veil constitutes a violation of her right to privacy and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution.
She further stated that it infringes upon the fundamental right to live according to one’s culture and exercise religious freedoms enshrined in Article 25 of the Constitution.
Parveen highlighted that such public humiliation becomes even more severe when carried out by someone in a high constitutional position, as these individuals are expected to uphold the rule of law.
She demanded action under sections 74, 79, 299, and 302 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertain to assault, insulting a woman’s modesty, and acts deliberately intended to outrage religious sentiments.
Meanwhile, activist Lubna Sarwath filed a separate complaint with the OU City police, requesting the registration of a Zero FIR.
She pointed out that the act, widely broadcast by national media, exacerbated the humiliation and violated the woman’s privacy as protected under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.
Sarwath cited BNS provisions related to wrongful restraint, incitement of enmity, and misconduct by a public servant.
Additionally, she referred to specific sections of the DPDP Act concerning the unauthorized sharing of personal video data.
Sarwath requested that the Zero FIR be transferred to the relevant police station in Patna for a thorough investigation. She also emphasized the need to preserve all video evidence for subsequent legal action.
