Celebrity hair stylist and BJP leader Jawed Habib has created a furore after he spat on the hair of a woman, video of which has gone viral in the social media. 

In the video, Jawed Habib using his spit to style a woman’s hair during a workshop in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzzaffarnagar. 

In the video, Habib is purportedly heard saying, “Pani na ho to ye karein (if there is no water, do this),” as he spat on the woman’s hair. 

Police in Muzzaffarnagar have launched an investigation into the matter. 

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“The matter is being investigated by the local police and necessary actions will be taken,” said Muzzaffarnagar (city) SP – Arpit Vijayvargiya. 

A case has been registered against Jawed Habib under sections 355 (assault), 504 (insult) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Epidemic Act. 

Meanwhile, Jawed Habib has released a video apologising for his act. 

He said: “I just want to say one thing. These are professional workshops. They are attended by people from within our profession. When these sessions get very long, we try to make them humorous. If you are hurt, I apologise from the bottom of my heart.” 

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The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken cognizance of the matter and has asked the Uttar Pradesh police to probe the veracity of the video. 

“The commission has taken this incident very seriously… seeks your urgent intervention in the matter… This incident also attracts violation of guidelines issued by the union home ministry under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, whereby spitting in public is a punishable offence in the wake of the Covid pandemic,” the NCW said in a letter to the Uttar Pradesh police.