Viral Video Misleadingly Claims Javed Akhtar Supported Nitish Kumar in Hijab Controversy

A senior lyricist Javed Akhtar has clarified that he does not support Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s controversial action of removing a Muslim woman’s hijab during a public event, contrary to misleading claims circulating on social media.

The controversy erupted after a video from a government function in Patna on December 15 showed Kumar removing the hijab of a Muslim woman doctor on stage during a ceremony for distributing appointment letters. The incident sparked immediate backlash from political parties, social organizations, and citizens across India, with many condemning it as an insensitive violation of the woman’s religious freedom and personal dignity.

Amid the growing outcry, social media users began circulating a video of Javed Akhtar discussing his views on face coverings, falsely claiming that he had endorsed Kumar’s actions. The misleading post, shared by a Facebook user named Ravindra Bharati on December 18, was captioned: “Whatever Nitish Kumar did was right. What is the need to cover the face? — Javed Akhtar (lyricist and screenwriter).”

An investigation by fact-checking organization Vishvas News has revealed this claim to be false. The viral video featuring Akhtar was recorded at the SOA Literary Festival’s inauguration ceremony on November 29, weeks before the hijab incident occurred. In the video, Akhtar was responding to an audience member’s question about societal attitudes toward face coverings in general, not specifically addressing Kumar’s actions.

In the full context of the literary festival video, Akhtar expressed his views on dress codes, saying: “Why should one be ashamed of one’s face? I agree that very revealing clothes, whether worn by men or women, do not look decent… However, why should a woman hide her face? What is there in a woman’s face that is objectionable?”

Far from supporting Kumar, Akhtar took to social media on December 18 to explicitly condemn the Chief Minister’s behavior. On his official Twitter (now X) account, Akhtar wrote: “Everyone who knows me even in the most cursory manner knows how much I am against the traditional concept of Parda 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.”

The veteran lyricist further stated that Kumar should apologize to the woman for his actions.

Senior journalist Smita Srivastava, who covers Bollywood for Dainik Jagran, confirmed to fact-checkers that the viral video predated the controversy and had no connection to the incident involving Kumar.

The misleading claim appears to be part of a wider pattern of misinformation surrounding the hijab controversy, which has intensified political and social debates about religious expression and women’s rights in India. The incident comes at a sensitive time in Bihar politics, where religious and cultural issues often become flashpoints for broader political debates.

This fact-check serves as a reminder of how easily out-of-context statements can be manipulated on social media to create false narratives around contentious political events, particularly those involving religious and cultural practices.