The controversy surrounding Nitish Kumar and the Hijab incident has shaken the conscience of the nation. Across India protests have erupted not driven by politics alone but by a deep sense of outrage over women’s dignity and personal autonomy. The images and accounts circulating in the public domain have raised disturbing questions, questions that demand clarity, accountability and above all moral responsibility.
Yet, at the centre of this storm stands silence.
Despite nationwide anger and repeated public demands for an apology Nitish Kumar has offered no explanation, no expression of regret, no acknowledgement of the hurt caused. His continued silence resembles that of a deaf and dumb authority, disconnected from public sentiment and unmoved by the gravity of the moment. In a democracy, such silence is not neutrality it is contempt for accountability.
What has further deepened the crisis is the politicisation of women’s dignity. Instead of calming tensions, remarks by Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad added fuel to the fire, triggering fresh controversy and shifting focus away from the core issue respect for women and consent. This reckless commentary reflects how easily women’s bodies and choices become tools in political sparring.
Amid this chaos, the issue of the woman doctor allegedly affected by the incident has been surrounded by speculation. Media reports have claimed that she refused her posting and left the state, but no verified public statement from the doctor herself has been placed on record. This vacuum of facts has been irresponsibly filled with rumours, assumptions and agenda driven narratives once again sidelining the very woman whose dignity is at the heart of the debate.
Instead of restraint and responsibility Television news channels have turned this serious issue into a spectacle. Prime time debates are flooded with Useless, Senseless and Baseless arguments. There are No solutions, No informed discussions, No legal or ethical clarity only shouting, provocation and emotional manipulation. Sentiments are played with recklessly, as if public pain were entertainment.
Watching these debates feels less like journalism and more like a circus where a group of Jokers perform outrage for ratings not justice. Noise replaces truth. Drama replaces dignity.
This controversy is no longer about one individual or one incident. It is about how power responds when women’s dignity is questioned. It is about whether silence can replace apology, whether spectacle can replace solutions, and whether democracy can survive without accountability.
History is unforgiving to leaders who choose silence over responsibility. If this continues, the question will not be why people protested, but why institutions failed so completely.
This is not just about one individual.
This is about a system that has lost its conscience.
What remains unanswered is simple yet profound:
Will those in power finally speak or will silence continue to insult dignity?
