Leadership is the mirror through which the moral character of a nation is reflected, and actions taken by figures such as the CM Bihar inevitably shape how democracy is perceived. In societies that claim democratic maturity, elected leaders are expected to embody restraint, dignity, and respect for the rights and sensibilities of all citizens.
The ballot is not merely a mechanism of power transfer; it is a covenant of trust, through which people entrust their representatives with the protection of their honour, faith, and fundamental freedoms. India has long projected itself as the world’s largest democracy, taking pride in constitutionalism, pluralism, and the rule of law. Yet, from time to time, incidents occur that crack this carefully constructed façade and expose uncomfortable truths beneath the surface.
An incident that crossed the bounds of dignity
One such incident recently unfolded in the Indian state of Bihar, where Chief Minister Bihar, Nitish Kumar crossed a line that no civilised leader should even approach. At a public function, in full view of cameras and attendees, he forcibly removed the veil of a Muslim female Dr. Nusrat Parveen. The act was not accidental, nor could it be dismissed as a momentary lapse of judgment. It was a deliberate intrusion into the personal, religious, and bodily autonomy of a woman, carried out by the highest executive authority of the province. In a single moment, the dignity of an individual was violated, and the moral claims of a state were laid bare.
Veil, faith, and personal autonomy under threat
The veil, irrespective of one’s personal views about it, represents choice, faith, and identity for millions of Muslim women. To tear it away by force is to send a chilling message that power may trample belief, and authority may humiliate the vulnerable without consequence. That the victim was a doctor, a professional who had devoted her life to public service, only deepened the cruelty of the act. Instead of honouring her contribution, the state reduced her to an object of spectacle, her dignity sacrificed at the altar of political arrogance.
Ravana’s legacy as a moral warning
History and tradition, including India’s own civilisational narratives, have long warned against such abuse of power. In Hindu mythology, the episode of Sita in the Ramayana stands as a timeless moral lesson. After her abduction by Ravana and confinement in Ashoka Vatika, Sita was subjected to repeated pressure and humiliation, including threats against her dignity, in an attempt to break her resolve. As mentioned in some versions of the Ramayana, there is an incident where Ravana, in a fit of rage and frustration, tries to disrobe Sita by grabbing her sari. The episode is remembered not merely as a tale of captivity, but as a moral indictment of coercion and moral transgression.
Global outrage and democratic embarrassment
The outrage that followed was neither surprising nor unwarranted. Voices across the world condemned the incident as an assault on human rights and women’s dignity. For a country that tirelessly lectures others on democratic values, the episode proved deeply embarrassing. It punctured the illusion that constitutional guarantees automatically translate into lived equality, especially for minorities.
A broader pattern of marginalisation
What makes the Bihar incident even more troubling is that it does not stand in isolation. India’s recent history is replete with examples where state power has been used to intimidate, marginalise, or humiliate minorities. From lynchings carried out in the name of cow protection, to discriminatory citizenship laws, to the routine targeting of Muslim homes and places of worship, a pattern has emerged that cannot be ignored.
Women and minorities at the receiving end
Women, particularly from minority communities, have borne a disproportionate share of this burden. Instances of harassment, public shaming, and weaponisation of identity have become increasingly frequent. The Bihar episode thus fits into a wider mosaic of moral decline, where political power appears emboldened to test how far it can go without meaningful accountability.
Media silence and selective outrage
Equally revealing has been the reaction of the Indian media on bihar incident. While some voices courageously called out the wrongdoing, large segments of the mainstream media treated the incident with evasiveness, minimisation, or selective outrage. This reluctance to confront power has become a hallmark of a media culture more invested in proximity to authority than in the pursuit of truth.
Power without accountability erodes legitimacy
The moral funeral of such leadership, it may be said, has already been held. When those at the helm lose the ability to distinguish between authority and entitlement, between leadership and domination, they forfeit their moral legitimacy. Power may command obedience, but it cannot compel respect.
Democracy hollowed by moral decay
In the end, the real tragedy is not merely the humiliation of one woman, but the steady corrosion of values that a democracy claims to cherish. The Bihar incident stands as a stark reminder that democracy without morality is an empty shell, and power without accountability is nothing more than organised cruelty.
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