New Delhi, Dec 20 (NationPress) In light of the uproar caused by a viral video purportedly depicting Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulling down a woman's hijab during a public event, Janata Dal-U MP Rampreet Mandal emerged in his support on Saturday, claiming that no leader in India holds more respect for women than Kumar.

The controversy ignited after a clip circulated on social media from a government gathering in Patna. In the footage, the 74-year-old Chief Minister is seen presenting a certificate to an AYUSH doctor and appears to gesture for her to remove her hijab. Before she could respond, he allegedly reached out and pulled it down, momentarily revealing her mouth and chin. While some onlookers laughed, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary seemed to step in to halt Kumar's actions.

In an interview with IANS, JD-U MP Mandal stated: "I learned about this from you all. I do not check my phone, so I was not aware of the video earlier. However, the allegations being made are hard for me to accept because our Chief Minister would never act in such a manner."

Mandal highlighted Nitish Kumar's efforts towards women's empowerment, asserting: "Let me be clear: the initiatives he has implemented for women are unparalleled in the country. Be it through the Jeevika Didi program or advancements in education and police recruitment, no one has advocated for women in Bihar like he has."

He accused the opposition of fabricating this controversy to undermine the Chief Minister.

"These allegations arise because the Opposition and certain individuals lack constructive activity. Our Chief Minister is revered as ‘Chanakya’. There is no one in the nation who respects women more than him. Those spreading these claims only aim to incite anger," he added.

Mandal dismissed the accusations, asserting that no misconduct transpired.

"I don't believe he has acted wrongly. If another individual were in her position to take an exam, that would have been inappropriate, and we would have questioned it. I prefer not to engage in unnecessary controversies and urge those propagating this to cease," he remarked.

Regarding the Lok Sabha's passage of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 (VB-G RAM-G Bill), Rampreet Mandal commented that Mahatma Gandhi's name was previously misappropriated.

"Some were exploiting Mahatma Gandhi’s name to gather funds from the poor, damaging his legacy. The Indian government's recent action is commendable, and a beneficial bill has been enacted," he noted.

On December 18, the Lok Sabha approved the VB-G RAM-G Bill through a voice vote. This legislation supersedes the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and guarantees 125 days of wage employment per year for rural households, despite opposition calls for additional oversight.