Supreme Court Slams MP Minister Vijay Shah For Remark Against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi

The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah over his controversial comments against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.

During the hearing, CJI BR Gavai said, "A person holding such an office is expected maintain such a decree...every sentence uttered by minister has to be with responsibility."

The bench expressed serious concern over the minister's conduct, NDTV reported. The court asked: "What sort of comments are you making? You should show some sense of sensibility. Go and apologise in High Court."

The court's criticism follows widespread backlash to Shah's comments, which have triggered outrage across political and military circles. An FIR has been registered against the minister, and the Supreme Court refused to put a hold on the High Court's order directing criminal proceedings.

"Nothing will happen to you in a day. You know who you are," the Supreme Court said and rejected a plea for interim protection from arrest.

The Controversy

The controversy erupted after Shah's speech in Raikunda village, Indore, on May 12. Referring to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, Shah attempted to highlight a retaliatory act supposedly led by the Indian military.

He insinuated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had responded to the attack by deploying "a sister of their [terrorists'] community"-a veiled reference to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi-on a military mission.

"The terrorists made our women widows. In return, Modi ji sent a woman from their community to their homes to avenge the deaths," Shah said. "They stripped and killed our Hindu brothers; we responded in kind."

Meanwhile, Vijay Shah apologised after the High Court reprimanded him and ordered to register an FIR against him.

In a video, Shah said, "The sentiments of every society have been hurt by my recent statement. For that, I am not only ashamed, sad from the heart, but also apologise." He has referred to Colonel Sofia as "the sister of the country" and said that she has worked above caste and society while performing her national duty.

However, the demand for his immediate dismissal from the cabinet has intensified.