Outrage among Muslims and rights groups in India has deepened following derogatory remarks by a BJP-allied minister, coming days after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was caught on camera forcibly pulling the hijab of a Muslim woman during an official event, an act widely condemned as humiliating and Islamophobic.
A video now viral shows Sanjay Nishad mocking the outrage over the hijab-pulling incident and making a dehumanising comment, saying, “Why so much noise over touching a hijab? What if the hand had landed somewhere else?” The remark, accompanied by laughter from the audience, triggered widespread condemnation on social media and from human rights and women’s rights organisations.
Activists said the statement amounts to open misogyny, sexual harassment and psychological abuse, further marginalising Muslim women. Political observers noted that instead of expressing remorse over the hijab-pulling incident, the minister’s mockery reflects the growing normalisation of hate speech against minorities. Demands have intensified for Nishad’s resignation and legal action, with critics calling the remarks an attack on women’s dignity and bodily autonomy.
