Bhopal: The High Court of Madhya Pradesh mandated the filing of a First Information Report against BJP Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his offensive comments directed at Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The court instructed the Director General of Police to act by the end of the day, warning that non-compliance would result in contempt proceedings.
The minister’s counsel contended that the court’s directive was based solely on media reports, to which the court responded by stating it would now incorporate video evidence into the official record. When the advocate general sought additional time, Justice Atul Sreedharan emphasized the urgency of the situation by saying, ‘I may not be alive tomorrow.’
The court noted that Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which addresses actions or speeches that incite animosity between religious groups, is evidently relevant in this instance. A political uproar erupted in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday after Minister Vijay Shah made comments regarding Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, one of the two female Army officers who briefed the media on Operation Sindoor.
The Congress party criticized the minister, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge labeling the remarks as ‘shameful and vulgar.’ The BJP leader’s controversial statements were made during an event in Indore on Monday, and after facing significant backlash from the opposition and criticism from within his party, he issued an apology on Tuesday. Referring to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Shah stated, ‘Those who have widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson.’
Qureshi, together with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, has held multiple media briefings since the launch of Operation Sindoor. The National Commission for Women has vehemently denounced the disrespectful remarks directed at Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, urging society to demonstrate respect and honor towards women in military service.
