Ranchi/Patna: The political fallout from Bihar’s hijab controversy has spread to neighbouring Jharkhand, with a former state health minister publicly challenging the legality of a job offer made to a doctor at the centre of the dispute. Bhanu Pratap Shahi, a BJP leader and former Jharkhand health minister, has accused the state’s current health minister, Irfan Ansari, of violating recruitment norms after Ansari announced that Dr Nusrat Praveen would be offered a government position in Jharkhand.
Dr Praveen came into the national spotlight following an incident in Bihar during the distribution of appointment letters, where she was allegedly asked to remove her hijab. The episode triggered political reactions across states, with leaders framing it as a question of women’s dignity, religious freedom and administrative protocol.
Speaking earlier, Ansari said Dr Praveen would be appointed on a monthly salary of Rs. 3 lakh, along with government accommodation, security and what he described as a respectful working environment. He criticised the handling of the incident in Bihar, calling it “inhumane” and an insult to constitutional values.
Shahi, however, questioned the basis of the offer and asked under which recruitment policy such a direct appointment could be made. “If such a policy exists, why are the sons and daughters of Jharkhand not being given jobs under it?” he said, demanding a clear explanation from the minister.
का जी इरफ़ान जी नुसरत को नौकरी सीधे किस नियोजन नीति के तहत देने की घोषणा किये जबाब दो ?
जिहादी मानसिकता से झारखंड नहीं चलेगा ..
@BJP4Jharkhand @IrfanAnsariMLA pic.twitter.com/jiLXjeh2ne
— Bhanu Pratap Shahi (@ShahiPratap) December 20, 2025
The controversy has sharpened political divisions in the state, with the ruling side portraying the issue as one of women’s dignity and humanitarian concern, while the opposition has framed it as a violation of rules governing public appointments.
What began as a dispute over protocol in Bihar has now evolved into a broader political debate spanning two states, touching on governance, constitutional norms and the limits of executive discretion.
