MP minister booked for remarks on Col Sofiya Qureshi
Justice Sreedharan told advocate general Prashant Singh that the case should be registered within six hours
Bhopal : Madhya Pradesh tribal affairs minister Vijay Shah was booked on charges of endangering sovereignty and promoting enmity between groups on Wednesday, hours after the MP high court took suo motu cognisance of controversial remarks made by him on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and asked the police to register a first information report (FIR).
A division bench of justices Atul Shridharan and Anuradha Shukla ordered that the FIR be filed under sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups) and 197 (action and statement that harm national integration). “An FIR has been registered against Vijay Shah as per the direction given by honourable MP high court under section 152 (endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India), 196 and 197,” said additional superintendent of police Rupesh Dwivedi.
Terming his comments against Qureshi –– one of the two women officers who briefed the nation on Operation Sindoor –– disparaging and dangerous not just to the officer but to the armed forces itself, the bench said Shah used “scurrilous” language against a senior official of the Indian army.
“The armed forces, perhaps the last institution existing in this country, reflecting integrity, discipline, sacrifice, selflessness, character, honour and indomitable courage has been targeted by Vijay Shah who has used the language of the gutter against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi,” justice Sreedharan said.
Justice Sreedharan told advocate general Prashant Singh that the case should be registered within six hours or the court will initiate contempt proceedings against the DGP on Thursday. ”Register, register right now! There is no tomorrow in such cases. I may not be alive tomorrow,” he said. “If the government wants, they can move to the Supreme Court for stay.”
The BJP leader’s controversial comments came at an event in Indore on Monday. On Tuesday, he apologised for the remarks after condemnation from the opposition and censure from his own party. “Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson,” he said in apparent reference to Qureshi.
On Wednesday after the video went viral, a senior BJP leader aware of the development said that the national leadership of the party asked Shah to resign. There was no response for the same from the minister till the time of going to print.
Later in the day, the Chief Minister’s Office said it would take action against Shah. “...the Honourable Chief Minister has given instructions to take action regarding the statement of Cabinet Minister Vijay Shah,” it said on X.
