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Nitish Kumar refused to wear a topi at the Bihar Madrasa Education Board event in Patna, gave it to Mohd Zama Khan.
Nitish Kumar on Thursday refused to wear a Muslim cap during a programme for madrasa teachers in Patna. (X)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday hit the headlines after a video showing the JDU President refusing to wear a ‘topi’ (Muslim cap) at a madrasa event in Patna went viral.
The incident took place on Thursday at the centenary celebration of the Bihar Madrasa Education Board in Patna, when the Chief Minister was offered the traditional muslim cap as part of the event’s customary gesture.
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However, Kumar did not wear it and instead placed it on the head of his party colleague and the state Minority Welfare Minister, Mohd Zama Khan, who wanted to put it on Kumar’s head in the first place.
However, the Chief Minister did accept the ceremonial shawl and went on to inaugurate the event from the stage.
While addressing the occasion, Kumar emphasised that his government has undertaken several initiatives for the welfare of the Muslim community. He further assured continued support in the future.
Referring to RJD’s rule in Bihar, he said, “Did any work happen before 2005? No work for Muslims happened. Now, madrasa teachers are paid on par with government school teachers. We started this. We also worked for the rights of Muslim women.”
The act assumes significance as it comes in the run-up to assembly elections in Bihar. The ‘topi’ is associated with Muslims, the community that comprises 18% votes in the state.
Back in 2013, Kumar made a notable statement, suggesting that a leader must be willing to embrace both “topi” (a traditional Muslim cap) and “tilak” (a Hindu forehead marking) to govern the country effectively. Although he didn’t mention Narendra Modi by name, it was widely understood that his comments were aimed at the then-Gujarat Chief Minister, who had previously declined to wear a skullcap presented by a Muslim cleric
Chaos At The Event
Meanwhile, chaos erupted at the event when a group of teachers protested over salary dues.
VIDEO | Patna: Madarsa teachers protest in front of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar at Bapu Sabhagar, where he arrived to address the State Madarsa Education Board ‘Shatabdi Samaroh’.(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/rqswWwlTwm
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 21, 2025
During the program, a large number of madrasa teachers and community members attempted to submit applications to the Chief Minister. However, officials initially stopped them, leading to a brief commotion. Observing this, Kumar intervened, asked the officials to allow people to approach him, and personally received the applications.
(With inputs from agencies)
About the Author
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
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