Jabalpur, May 14: The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday strongly rebuked State Minister Vijay Shah for making "scurrilous" and "gutter-level" remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, directing the state police to file an FIR against him.
Taking suo motu cognizance, Justice Atul Sreedharan ordered Director General of Police Kailash Makwana to register a case against Shah within four hours under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 196 (promoting enmity between groups) and Section 152 (acts endangering national sovereignty and integrity).
The court observed that Shah’s remarks — calling Colonel Qureshi a "sister of the terrorists" involved in the April 22 Pahalgam attack — incite separatist sentiments and threaten national unity.
“These are dangerous statements,” Justice Sreedharan said. “Now, such divisive rhetoric is targeting even the Armed Forces.”
Shah, who holds the Tribal Welfare and Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation portfolios, allegedly made the comments during a May 12 public event. Without naming Col. Qureshi directly at the time, he later identified her in public clarifications, claiming his comments had been misinterpreted.
The BJP’s state leadership has yet to take disciplinary action, though sources in the Chief Minister's Office confirmed internal discussions are underway.
The controversy has sparked national outrage. Opposition leaders have demanded Shah’s removal, accusing him of defaming a decorated Army officer and promoting communal divisions.
“Why hasn’t the Prime Minister sacked the Madhya Pradesh Minister for such disgraceful remarks?” asked Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. “These are not just offensive words — they expose a toxic mindset.”
The National Commission for Women also condemned the remarks, adding to the growing pressure on the BJP to take action.
