A fresh political controversy erupted after a public event in Bihar where a newly appointed woman doctor found herself at the center of a deeply uncomfortable moment. During the official appointment ceremony in Patna, Nitish Kumar was seen pulling down the hijab of Dr Nusrat Parveen while handing over her appointment letter. The act, captured on video and widely shared on social media, immediately sparked outrage across the country.
In a notable response to the incident, Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari publicly offered Dr Parveen a government position in Jharkhand as a show of support. The offer reportedly includes a monthly salary of ₹3 lakh, which is significantly higher than standard state medical pay scales, a government provided flat, a posting at her preferred location within Jharkhand, and full security arrangements.
Minister Ansari described the offer as a response to what he termed an attack on human dignity and honour. He said the Bihar incident was not just a personal insult to the doctor but also a symbolic violation of constitutional values and fundamental rights. He emphasized that no professional should be subjected to such treatment in a public setting, particularly on religious grounds.
He said, "We will not allow caste discrimination here, and we will take action against anyone who engages in such behavior, There is outrage among the doctors."
Despite the offer from Jharkhand, officials have stated that Dr Parveen has not yet joined her original posting in Bihar. According to government sources, she did not report for duty by the stipulated deadline, and repeated attempts to contact her or her family were unsuccessful. There are indications that her family is reassessing her future course of action amid intense media attention and public scrutiny.
The Bihar Health Department has reportedly extended the deadline for her to join duty as a special case. However, it remains unclear whether Dr Parveen will proceed with her appointment in Bihar or choose to accept the opportunity offered by the Jharkhand government.
The incident has sharply divided political opinion. While some leaders defended the Bihar Chief Minister’s action as unintentional, others described it as deeply inappropriate and symbolic of a larger problem around respect for women and minorities in public life. Complaints were also reportedly filed seeking accountability for the incident.
(Rh/ARC)