He accused Nitish Kumar of attempting to demean the hijab (veil) and the Muslim community through the act. Without naming anyone, Ansari also contrasted the incident with Jharkhand's governance.

"This is Jharkhand. Governance here is sensitive, inclusive and rooted in respect for human dignity," the minister said.

Nusrat Parveen, a doctor hailing from Kolkata, was among ten Ayush doctors who had turned up at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Secretariat on December 15 to receive their letters of appointment.

When Parveen's turn came, the 75-year-old CM pointed towards her veil and exclaimed 'what is this' before pulling it down and exposing her face. The incident has drawn widespread criticism, with many accusing Nitish Kumar of disrespecting Muslim traditions, allegedly in line with the "RSS agenda."

Meanwhile, former BJP minister C P Singh alleged a "possible connection" between the woman doctor and the Al-Falah University in Haryana, which has come under scanner in connection with the alleged "white collar terror module."

Singh demanded an NIA inquiry into the episode and said Ansari was not the health minister for "one community alone."

"People from this particular community want to establish Ghazwa-e-Hind. Therefore, the NIA should investigate whether Nusrat Parveen has any connection to Al-Falah University," the BJP leader alleged.