New Delhi: The Supreme Court has sharply reprimanded Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah for his inflammatory remarks against Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and directed him to issue a public apology.
Colonel Qureshi, a senior officer and one of the key spokespeople for the Indian Armed Forces during media briefings on Operation Sindoor, was the target of derogatory, communal, and sexist comments made by Shah at a public event in Mhow on May 14. The minister’s remarks, which referred to her as the “sister of terrorists” and invoked religious animosity, sparked nationwide outrage.
Chief Justice of India BR Gavai described Shah’s comments as “unacceptable” and “insensitive,” urging the minister to exercise restraint. “What sort of comments are you making? You should show some sense of sensibility. Go and apologise in High Court,” the CJI said, as reported by NDTV.
Prior to the Supreme Court’s intervention, the Madhya Pradesh High Court had taken suo motu cognizance of the incident. The bench, comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla, condemned Shah’s speech as communal, sexist, and defamatory. The court directed the state’s Director General of Police Kailash Makwana to register a First Information Report (FIR) against Shah under stringent sections safeguarding national unity and integrity. The court warned that failure to comply would invite contempt proceedings.
By late evening on May 14, Indore Police filed a criminal case against Shah at the Manpur police station, marking the first instance in Madhya Pradesh history of a sitting minister being booked under laws protecting the nation’s unity.
The controversial remarks were made in the presence of Union Minister Savitri Thakur and other BJP leaders. Shah claimed, “Terrorists wiped the sindoor of our sisters and daughters, so we sent their own sister to take revenge… You widowed our community’s women, so now a sister from your community will strip you. Modi-ji proved that daughters of your caste can be sent to Pakistan to avenge us.”
The comments drew strong condemnation from army veterans, civil society, and opposition leaders alike. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge demanded Shah’s immediate removal, calling the divisive language “unacceptable from a government minister.”
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, alongside Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, has been a prominent and respected face of the Indian Armed Forces, frequently briefing the media alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Operation Sindoor.
The Supreme Court’s latest directives come amid growing public calls for accountability and an end to hate speech from political figures. Shah, who represents the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has yet to issue a public response to the court orders.
