Maulana Mohammed Riyaz Ahmed Quadri Husami, Khateeb of Masjid Mahmooda, Shastripuram, has strongly condemned the claims made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party regarding the protection of Muslim women’s rights, describing them as hollow and merely symbolic. He termed the hijab-related incident in Bihar and the subsequent political statements as a direct attack on the dignity and religious freedom of Muslim women.

Maulana Hussami said that the alleged misconduct by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar involving a veiled Muslim woman doctor has exposed the deep-seated prejudice prevailing in certain political circles. He further denounced the statement made by Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad in defence of the incident, calling it highly condemnable, reflective of a crude mentality, and contrary to constitutional values.

He stated that treating such a sensitive matter lightly and using obscene or provocative analogies amounts to a blatant insult to women’s dignity. Such remarks, he said, are an assault on religious freedom, personal dignity, and fundamental rights, and they promote hatred, obscenity, and social discord—posing a threat to national unity and social harmony.

Emphasising constitutional guarantees, Maulana Hussami said that every citizen has the right to religious freedom, a dignified life, and gender respect, and that public representatives are duty-bound to uphold constitutional limits in both word and deed. He demanded immediate, transparent, and stringent legal action over the incident and the controversial statement, and called for holding those responsible accountable to the principles of respect for women and religious freedom.

He also expressed concern that neither has Nitish Kumar issued an apology so far, nor has the concerned minister been compelled to acknowledge his mistake—an approach he said runs contrary to the principles of justice. In conclusion, Maulana Mohammed Riyaz Ahmed Quadri Hussami appealed to all Muslim leaders, particularly religious scholars, to remain united and guide the community through constitutional and democratic means, raise an effective voice on the issue, and lead appropriate legal action so that no one dares to violate the dignity of any woman or insult any religion in the future.