In politics, yesterday’s idols can often become today’s embarrassments. This irony is currently playing out on social media as an old video of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan praising Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has resurfaced just as the latter faces a global firestorm for his conduct toward a female Muslim doctor.
In the resurfaced 2012 interview with NDTV, a hopeful Imran Khan is seen describing Nitish Kumar as a visionary whose “governance mantra” served as a blueprint for his own party, the PTI. Khan claimed to have “learned a lot” from the Bihar CM, even suggesting that his own economic agenda was modeled after Kumar’s administrative steps in Bihar.
At the time, Khan lauded Kumar for moving away from “identity politics” and focusing on “good governance” and “public happiness.”
Niqab Scandal
The irony of Khan’s praise has not been lost on netizens, given that Nitish Kumar is currently under severe criticism for a widely circulated video from last week.
https://archive.mmnews.tv/case-registered-against-bihar-cm-nitish-kumar-for-pulling-female-doctors-veil/
In the footage, the Bihar CM is seen forcibly pulling the niqab (hijab) of a lady doctor, identified as Dr. Nusrat Parveen, during a public interaction.
The incident has sparked outrage across the border and internationally:
Critics argue that the act was a blatant violation of personal space and religious freedom.
Social media users are just exposing Imran Khan’s old comments about “good governance” and “respect for the people” with Kumar’s aggressive behavior toward a healthcare professional.
The resurfaced clip has become a tool for critics to mock the PTI chairman’s judgment. “Imran Khan wanted to borrow the Bihar mantra; we didn’t realize that mantra included disrespecting professional women and their faith,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).
While Imran Khan’s 2012 remarks were focused on economic reform, the current optics create a stark contrast.
As the Bihar CM faces demands for an apology and potential legal scrutiny under Indian laws, the old video serves as a reminder of how quickly political reputations can shift.
For Imran Khan, the “secret of success” he once saw in Nitish Kumar has been replaced by a controversial display that many describe as a “secret of failure” in public ethics.
