Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad on Wednesday said his controversial remark defending Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over a viral hijab video was misunderstood and carried no ill intent, as outrage continued and opposition parties demanded an apology and legal action.
Nishad was responding to criticism over his comment on Kumar pulling down a woman’s hijab during a government programme in Patna. The minister claimed his words were lost in translation and context. “My remark was tweaked and twisted, misinterpreted, its spirit lost in cacophony and translation,” Nishad told PTI. He added, “If someone has taken offence, I am willing to take back the words from my side.”
The controversy erupted after a video clip of Nishad’s interview with a private news channel went viral on social media. In the interview, Nishad was heard saying, “He is also a man; one should not go after someone so much. What happened if the veil was removed? What would have happened if he had touched somewhere else?” The remark was widely criticised as crude and misogynistic.
Trying to explain himself, Nishad said he comes from the Bhojpuri-speaking region and that conversational styles differ across regions. “In Bhojpuri, this is a common way of advising people not to make too much of an issue and to show restraint. I used the same style in Hindi and did not realise it would create such a controversy,” he said. He insisted there was “neither malice nor any intention of disrespect” towards any woman, community, or religion, and alleged that the issue was being amplified for political gain.
Nishad also defended Nitish Kumar, saying the Bihar Chief Minister had “merely removed” the hijab to check whether the appointment letter was being given to the correct beneficiary. He said the responsibility lay with officials for not making proper arrangements during the programme.
The opposition, however, reacted sharply. Congress’ Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai called Nishad’s comment “outrageously anti-women” and said it reflected the mindset of the BJP and its allies. “We seek an unconditional apology, failing which we will demand the minister’s dismissal,” Rai said.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Abbas Haider termed the remarks “condemnable and undignified” and questioned whether this reflected the thinking of the BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh. The Aam Aadmi Party also accused Nishad of making “shameful” and “anti-women” comments.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the manner in which Nishad spoke showed a “vile, absurd, and misogynistic mindset.” “These shameless words are being said with a laugh by a UP government minister,” she wrote on X.
The row also reached the police. Samajwadi Party leader Sumaiyya Rana lodged a complaint at the Kaisarbagh police station in Lucknow against both Nitish Kumar and Sanjay Nishad. “A video of Bihar CM pulling down a woman’s hijab has angered women across the country. For a person holding a constitutional post to behave like this sends a dangerous message,” Rana said. She added that Nishad’s remarks had further worsened the situation.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Ratnesh Singh said the complaint is under investigation and further action will be taken after inquiry.
The video involving Nitish Kumar is from a government event in Patna where he was distributing appointment letters to newly recruited AYUSH doctors. The opposition has described the act as public harassment of a woman, while the controversy continues to grow with demands for accountability and apology.
