Overview
- The All India Jewellers and Gold Federation’s Bihar unit directed shops to refuse entry and sales to customers with fully covered faces unless they briefly reveal their faces for identification.
- The rule covers hijabs, niqabs, burqas, scarves, masks and helmets, applies to women and men, and traders say staff will not forcibly remove any covering.
- Federation leaders cite recent robberies and soaring precious‑metal prices that complicate CCTV identification, pointing to cases in Bhojpur and Siwan.
- AIJGF officials say they consulted senior Patna police and reported no objections, and shops have begun posting “no covered faces” notices in markets including Patna and Muzaffarpur.
- The Rashtriya Janata Dal called the step unconstitutional and an attack on religious freedom, with the debate intensified by last month’s incident in which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar removed a woman’s hijab at an official event.