UP minister clarifies after outrage over comment on Nitish hijab issue; SP files police complaint
Lucknow (PTI): "What would have happened if he touched her somewhere else?" The comment on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulling down a hijab from a woman's face was lost in translation and carried no ill intent, Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad said on Wednesday as outrage snowballed with the opposition and others asking for an apology.
Attempting to defuse the controversy, the Nishad Party chief said the comment, made in Hindi and labelled misogynistic and crude, was light-hearted and made casually, even as a Samajwadi Party office-bearer filed a complaint with the Lucknow police against the UP minister and the Bihar CM.
"My remark was tweaked and twisted, misinterpreted, its spirit lost in cacophony and translation," the state fisheries minister told PTI as the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Aam Aadmi Party sought an unconditional apology.
"If someone has taken offence, I am willing to take back the words from my side," he said.
Nishad said he belongs to Gorakhpur and the Bhojpuri-speaking belt and expressions and conversational styles differ from region to region.
"In Bhojpuri, this is a common way of urging people not to make too much of any issue and to counsel restraint. I chose to use the same style in Hindi and didn't know it will become such an issue," he said.
"Just as language and expressions vary in Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra or Tamil Nadu, dialects in north India and eastern Uttar Pradesh also differ. That does not mean there was any intention to insult," he said.
Nishad also said Kumar had "merely removed" the veil to verify whether the actual beneficiary of a government scheme was present. He added that the responsibility lay with officials who should have ensured proper arrangements before the programme -- a government event in Patna on Monday.
He added that his remarks carried no ill intent towards any woman, community or religion. "There was neither malice nor any intention of disrespect."
He also alleged that some people were deliberately amplifying the issue for political gain.
Congress' Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai termed Nishad's comment "outrageously anti-women" and said it reflects the mindset of the BJP and its allies.
"We seek unconditional apology failing which we will seek minister's dismissal," Rai told PTI.
SP spokesperson Abbas Haider said Nishad's remarks were "condemnable and undignified".
"I would also like to ask if this is the idea of the BJP led government in UP which the minister has reflected in his statements," Haider said while demanding "an immediate and unconditional apology."
The Aam Aadmi Party's UP unit accused Nishad of making "shameful" and "anti-women" comments, stating that the statement reflected a "crude and misogynistic mindset".
Social media was also filled with posts slamming the minister for his anti-women viewpoint.
Nishad's controversial remark came during an interview with a private channel. "Woh (Kumar) bhi to aadmi hai, kisi ke itna peechhe nahin pad jaana chahiye. Chhoo diya naqaab to kya ho gaya, agar kahin aur chhoo dete to kya ho jaata (He is also a man; one should not go after someone so much. What happened if the veil was removed? What would have happened if he had touched somewhere else?" the minister said.
The video of the interview was circulated widely on social media platforms.
Meanwhile, SP spokesperson Sumaiyya Rana on Wednesday lodged a complaint with the Lucknow police against Nishad and Kumar.
She said a video clip of Bihar CM pulling the hijab of a woman has triggered anger among women, prompting her to submit a complaint seeking police action.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Rana said that as someone who herself wears a hijab, she would not remain silent if such an act was committed against her.
She said the complaint also refers to UP minister Sanjay Nishad's remarks on the issue.
Rana said she submitted a written complaint at the Kaisarbagh police station seeking investigation and registration of an FIR.
Alleging delay by the police, Rana said she was initially sent from Kaisarbagh to Gautampalli police station before her complaint was eventually accepted, with police saying an FIR would be registered only after inquiry.
She said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and senior leader Dimple Yadav have condemned the incident, and alleged that such remarks by Nishad were not new.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kaisarbagh, Ratnesh Singh told PTI on Wednesday evening that the matter is currently under investigation and further action would be taken based on the outcome of the probe.
#WATCH | Lucknow: SP leader Sumaiya Rana has logged a complaint with the Kaiserbagh police against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. pic.twitter.com/Nxcllktn8p
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2025
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Andhra to be developed as knowledge, creator economy hub: CM Naidu
New Delhi/Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state is taking steps to transform itself into a knowledge and creator economy hub with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh has abundant tech-driven youth and the government is formulating plans to train them in futuristic technologies with support from global technology firms.
"Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub by focusing on AI, quantum computing, data centres, drone cities and space cities. The youth will remain our biggest asset over the next 25 years, and we seek global partnerships to scale up the creator economy," said Naidu during his interactions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.
Naidu, who participated in the summit in the national capital, also held meetings with several global technology leaders and industrialists to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence, clean energy and innovation ecosystems.
He met Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Autodesk AI Head Mike Haley, Aramco India Director Abdul Rehman AiThukair, LEGO Education Vice President Tom Hall, Aadhaar Founder and CTO Srikanth Nadhamuni, Khosla Ventures Managing Partner Vinod Khosla and others at the AP Pavilion.
The chief minister also held discussions with Saudi Aramco representatives on clean energy projects, including solar initiatives, and invited the company to expand operations in Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state is highly suitable for green energy production.
He sought support from NVIDIA Vice President Callista Redmond for establishing AI Living Labs and proposed partnerships through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to promote youth innovation, including collaborations with IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Future Innovation and Research for Science and Technology (AP FIRST) initiative.
Naidu urged Autodesk leadership to support the development of Global Capability Centres in design engineering and requested the establishment of an Innovation Academy in Amaravati aligned with quantum technology, besides proposing AI and robotics learning labs in partnership with LEGO Education.
He also discussed AI-driven smart governance solutions with Quantela Inc Chairman Sridhar Gadhi, while World Bank Group Digital AI Regional Director Mahesh Uttamchandani met Naidu on the sidelines of the summit.
Following the meetings, Naidu visited various exhibition stalls at the summit, including those of NVIDIA, Tata, Intel and Microsoft, and reviewed AI applications across agriculture, healthcare and industry.
