Lucknow, Dec 17 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad on Wednesday sought to justify his controversial remarks linked to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's hijab row, saying he often speaks in several regional languages where expressions are conveyed in a "simple" and "informal" manner, and that his statements were being "deliberately exaggerated".
Nishad recently sparked a controversy while speaking to a regional news channel, where he made crass remarks in Hindi suggesting that the hijab-related incident involving the Bihar Chief Minister had been unnecessarily blown out of proportion.
"Arey, woh bhi toh aadmi hain na, peeche nahi padna chahiye. Naqab chhoo diya toh itna ho gaya… kahin aur chhoo dete toh kya ho jaata (Oh, he is a man after all, don't get after him. He just touched the naqab… what if he had touched elsewhere)," he said, smiling during the interaction.
The remarks triggered widespread outrage and sharp criticism across political circles and on social media platforms.
Following the backlash, the Uttar Pradesh Minister issued a clarification, maintaining that his comments had been misunderstood and misrepresented.
In an interview with IANS, Nishad said, "I speak in Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Hindi, and other languages regularly. Today, it is understood that in villages and rural areas, certain things are said in a simple, informal way. This is not an insult, but the matter has been raised as a controversy without any reason. There was no intention to insult any woman or any religion. But if someone gets offended, I take my statement back. My aim has always been to fight for women's rights and to promote social reform. I stand for social progress and unity."
He further alleged that his words were being exaggerated and politicised unnecessarily.
"However, it is unfortunate that some people are deliberately exaggerating my words and presenting them with a political agenda, which is wrong. They should not try to create unnecessary controversy. People should try to understand languages and cultures, and not make a debate out of it. We should have a mindset that unites society, not one that divides it," Nishad added.
The Uttar Pradesh Minister made these remarks in the backdrop of the controversy involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, which erupted after a video surfaced on social media from a government function in Patna.
In the video, the Bihar Chief Minister was seen handing a certificate to an AYUSH doctor and gesturing for her to remove her hijab. Before she could respond, Nitish Kumar reached out and pulled it down himself, briefly exposing her mouth and chin.
While some people present at the event were seen laughing, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary was also seen attempting to intervene and stop Nitish Kumar, as the video continued to circulate widely and draw criticism.
--IANS
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