Writer Neeraj Pandey's Open Letter to Maithili Thakur Highlights Bihar's Varied Reality

Screenwriter and lyricist Neeraj Pandey has written an open letter to BJP leader and folk singer Maithili Thakur, responding to her statement about feeling safe in Bihar after the Jamui incident.

In the letter, Pandey emphasizes that one person's experience of safety cannot represent the reality of an entire state. He shares his own experience of growing up in Bihar, stating that despite his privileges as a man, his personal boundaries were violated several times.

Pandey urges people to listen to the survivors of the Jamui incident and points out that such an episode should not be viewed in isolation. He also reflects on his own experiences, stating that a person's relationship with their homeland can also include painful memories.

Maithili Thakur's Viral Statement

Maithili Thakur had made a viral statement about women's safety in Bihar, saying that she is 'a daughter of Bihar' and that people in the state are 'very safe'. However, fact-checks have found that the video is not from after the Jamui incident, but from April 2026, when Thakur was campaigning in West Bengal for the Assembly elections.

Thakur has separately reacted to the Jamui incident, describing it as 'extremely condemnable, shameful and heart-wrenching'. She also said that boys must be taught that touching, stopping or mistreating a girl without her consent is a crime.

Public Support for Maithili Thakur

Maithili Thakur has received public support from fellow BJP leader and actor Kangana Ranaut. Kangana defended Maithili after the latter faced online criticism over her appearance at Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja in a Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

The incident has triggered widespread outrage and renewed discussion around women's safety, moral policing and the treatment of victims. Pandey's open letter adds his personal experience to that wider conversation.