The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed police to register a case against BJP Minister Vijay Shah for making “derogatory, communal, and indecent” remarks about Colonel Sophia Qureshi during a recent public event. The court took suo motu cognizance of the incident on Wednesday (May 14) after the minister’s comments went viral, sparking widespread outrage across social and political circles.
According to an NDTV report, the court instructed the Director General of Police (DGP) to file a First Information Report (FIR) against Shah without delay.
Colonel Sophia Qureshi, along with Wing Commander Byomika Singh, had been regularly briefing the press on Operation Sindoor in New Delhi—an operation that has gained national attention amid ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.
During a cultural event on Tuesday (May 13), Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah made inflammatory comments, saying:
“They stripped and killed Hindus, and Modiji sent their sister to take revenge. We couldn’t strip them, so we sent a girl from their community…”
He went on to say:
“You made our community’s sisters into widows—now a sister from your community will strip you. Modiji has shown that even your community’s daughters can be sent to Pakistan for revenge.”
The event was attended by several BJP leaders, including Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur and former cabinet minister Usha Thakur. The remarks drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders and retired army officials alike. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge demanded Shah’s immediate removal from office.
Facing mounting backlash, Vijay Shah later issued an apology, saying:
“Colonel Sophia Qureshi is more valuable to me than my own sister because she rose above caste and community to serve the nation. I had no criminal intent. Still, if anyone was offended, I apologize—not once, but ten times.”
Despite the apology, legal action is now set in motion as the court emphasized that such divisive and communal rhetoric cannot be tolerated, particularly when directed at serving military personnel. The FIR is expected to be registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to hate speech and incitement.
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