HC orders case against MP minister for remark on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi

Madhya Pradesh Minister Vijay Shah faces legal action after a high court order, following a controversial remark about Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during a speech

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered a criminal case to be registered against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Tribal Welfare Minister Vijay Shah for remarks widely condemned as communal and offensive towards Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.

 

The controversy erupted following Vijay Shah’s speech near Indore, where he appeared to draw communal undertones while referring to Colonel Qureshi — who has been a prominent face in the press briefings on Operation Sindoor, alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

 

While trying to praise her contribution, Shah ended up making a comment that linked her religion and gender to terrorism—sparking outrage among opposition parties, veterans, and civil society.

 

 

“Those people [terrorists] who had wiped out the sindoor [vermilion] of our sisters in the Pahalgam terror attack... We avenged these ‘kate-pite’ people by sending their sister to destroy them... PM Modi ji responded by sending the sister of their community in an Army plane to strike them in their houses,” Shah had said.

 

 

The Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, was cited by Shah as a turning point that justified a strong retaliation. But his comments, framed around religion and gender, were widely slammed as undermining the dignity of an officer serving in the Indian Army.

 

Despite mounting criticism, Vijay Shah attempted to walk back his remarks. “Sister Sofiya has brought glory to India by rising above caste and religion. She is more respected than our own sister. I salute her for her service to the nation. We cannot even think of insulting her in our dreams. Still, if my words have hurt society and religion, then I am ready to apologise ten times,” he said.

 

However, the damage had already been done. The Congress party launched a scathing attack, calling Shah’s speech an “attack on national unity, military dignity, and the honour of Indian women.”

 

 

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in a strongly-worded post on social media platform X, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately sack the minister.

 

"A minister of the BJP government of Madhya Pradesh has made a very derogatory, shameful and cheap remark about our brave daughter Colonel Sofiya Qureshi... The terrorists of Pahalgam wanted to divide the country, but the country was united during the entire 'Operation Sindoor' to give a befitting reply," Kharge wrote in Hindi. 

भाजपा की मध्य प्रदेश सरकार के एक मंत्री ने हमारी वीर बेटी कर्नल सोफिया क़ुरैशी के बारे में बेहद अपमानजनक, शर्मनाक और ओछी टिप्पणी की है।  पहलगाम के आतंकी देश को बाँटना चाहते थे, पर आतंकवादियों को मुंहतोड़ जवाब देने में पूरे ‘ऑपरेशन सिंदूर’ के दौरान देश एकजुट था।  BJP-RSS की…

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 13, 2025

Jitu Patwari, President of the Madhya Pradesh Congress, also shared a video of Shah’s speech and said it reflected the “low thinking” and “hate-filled mindset” within BJP ranks.

 

As of now, the BJP has not issued an official statement on whether any disciplinary action will be taken against Shah. 

  (With agency inputs)