'If I was in Nitish Kumar's place I would firstly never even think of crossing the boundary with a lady, and secondly if I did something so contemptible by mistake, I would apologise immediately.'
Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's action of pulling off a woman's hijab from her face at a public ceremony in Patna on Monday has sparked widespread outrage.
Curiously, no one from the film industry has condemned this act for what it is, a violation of a woman's private space.
Finally Javed Akhtar has spoken. "Every one who knows me even in the most cursory manner knows how much I am against the traditional concept of purdah, but it doesn't mean that by any stretch of imagination I can accept what Mr Nitish Kumar has done to a Muslim lady doctor. I condemn it in very strong words."
"Mr Nitish Kumar owes an unconditional apology to the lady."
Nitish Kumar seems to be in no mood for an apology.
Says Shatrughan Sinha, the Trinamool Congress MP, "To admit to a mistake is not a sign of smallness, but an acknowledgement of one's ability to learn from our mistakes.
"Sadly, politicians seldom apologise for their mistakes. If they did the nation wouldn't be in such a state," says Sinha.
"If I was in Nitish Kumar's place I would firstly never even think of crossing the boundary with a lady, and secondly if I did something so contemptible by mistake, I would apologise immediately."
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff
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