HC orders FIR against minister Vijay Shah over remarks on Col Sofiya Qureshi
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Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) to file an FIR against BJP leader and Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his controversial remarks regarding Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
The court, taking cognisance of the matter, instructed DGP Kailash Makwana to register the case under sections 152, 196 1 (B), and 197 of the Indian Penal Code. Justice Atul Sridharan observed that Shah’s statement, prima facie, amounted to promoting enmity between different castes, religions, and languages. He specifically noted that referring to Colonel Qureshi as a "sister of terrorists" had the potential to hurt the sentiments and religious feelings of the Muslim community.
Justice Sridharan further emphasized that the case against Shah should be registered by the evening of the same day.
The remarks in question were made by Minister Vijay Shah during a programme on May 12, where he spoke about Operation Sindoor. He said that Prime Minister Modi had sent a "sister from the same community" as those in Pakistan to avenge the terror strike on April 22 in Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Shah went on to state, "PM Modi is striving for the society. Those who widowed our daughters in Pahalgam, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson."
Shah’s comments sparked widespread outrage across the nation, with the opposition demanding immediate action against him. The remarks were particularly criticized given that Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh had played a significant role in briefing the media during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.
The controversy surrounding Shah’s comments continues to grow, with calls for accountability and consequences for the minister’s divisive remarks.
With IANS inputs
