New Delhi: The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday ordered the registration of an FIR against BJP leader and state minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for making offensive remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The court described his comments “cancerous and dangerous”.
Speaking at an event in Mahu on Tuesday, Shah allegedly referred to Colonel Qureshi as a “sister of terrorists”. He said that those who had “widowed India’s daughters” were taught a lesson by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through “unki samaaj ki behen ke zariye” (through their own sister).
He reiterated the statement thrice. The Congress party later alleged that this was a direct reference to Colonel Qureshi, who served as one of the Indian Armed Forces’ spokespersons during ‘Operation Sindoor’.
The division bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla said that Shah’s comments prima facie “encourages feelings of separatist activities” and poses a threat to the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
The court expressed serious concern. “The armed forces (are) perhaps the last institutional bastion existing in this country reflecting integrity, industry, sacrifice, selflessness and unlimited courage with which any citizen of this country can identify. And that has been targeted by Mr Vijay Shah,” the bench stated.
The court emphasised that Colonel Qureshi, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, had been representing the military to the media during the ‘Operation Sindoor’ against Pakistan.
Justice Sreedharan further observed, “The minister made unpardonable statements against Colonel Qureshi as an innuendo, but which can refer to none other but her alone, as there is no one else who will fit the comment of the minister.”
The court underlined that Shah’s statement at the public event explicitly referred to Colonel Qureshi as the sister of a terrorist involved in the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which had killed 26 innocent Indians.
Referring to the media and digital evidence, the bench said that Shah’s speech clearly included a statement crediting Prime Minister Modi with having “sent the sister of a terrorist to sort them out”.
Highlighting the communal undertone of the remarks, Justice Sreedharan said that Colonel Qureshi is a follower of the Muslim faith and that by labeling her as the “sister of terrorists”, Shah’s statement had the “propensity to give the feeling that irrespective of selflessness and service to India, a person could still be derided based on religion”.
The court concluded that the minister’s remarks prima facie have the potential to provoke disharmony and enmity between members of the Muslim faith and others.
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