Patna: A controversy involving Bihar’s chief minister, Nitish Kumar, has taken an international turn after a Pakistani gangster released a video threatening him and demanding a public apology over an incident at an official event in Patna.
The video, attributed to Shahzad Bhatti, a Pakistan-based criminal accused in Indian media reports of anti-India activities, surfaced on social media following a row over the alleged removal of a Muslim woman doctor’s hijab during a government programme. The authenticity of the video has not been independently verified.
The incident took place on Monday at Samvad, the chief minister’s secretariat in Patna, where he was distributing appointment letters to more than 1,000 newly recruited AYUSH doctors. According to footage that later went viral, a woman doctor wearing a hijab approached the stage to receive her appointment letter. Kumar is heard expressing displeasure and is alleged to have lifted the veil covering her face.
The woman appeared visibly uncomfortable and was quickly escorted away from the stage by officials. Deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary, who was standing beside CM, was seen attempting to intervene. The clip triggered sharp reactions online and fuelled a political debate in Bihar.
Citing the viral video, Bhatti released a separate video message in which he issued an explicit warning to the chief minister. “Everyone saw what happened in Bihar. A man in a high position does this to a Muslim woman,” he said, calling on CM Nitish to apologise. “If an apology is not given today, don’t say later that you were not warned.”
In the video, Bhatti also referred to Indian institutions and authorities, appearing to frame the incident as a matter of international concern. Indian media reports describe him as a resident of Pakistan’s Punjab province who frequently posts provocative content online, styling himself as a “soldier” of Islam and Pakistan.
There has so far been no official response from the Bihar government or the chief minister’s office to the threat. Security agencies have also not issued a public statement.
The episode has intensified political tensions in the state. Opposition parties have criticised Kumar’s conduct at the event, while leaders from the ruling coalition have accused critics of exaggerating the incident for political gain.
Analysts and security experts have warned that a public threat by a foreign-based criminal figure against the chief minister of an Indian state is a serious matter and warrants close attention. With the hijab controversy, the viral footage and the cross-border threat converging, the issue is expected to remain at the centre of Bihar’s political and administrative discourse in the days ahead.
