HARDA: BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah is under fire throughout India for the disrespectful remarks he made about the Indian Army officer Col Sofiya Qureshi. Shah made this remark in a public program held in Harda in Madhya Pradesh around the time when the country hailed Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh for their courageous roles in Operation Sindoor and their press conference that questioned Pakistan's military claims in an assured manner.
The very next day, a Jabalpur court took suo motu cognizance (on its own motion) of the matter and asked the police to register a case against Shah under strict sections of the criminal law. The backlash has been endless, with protests being programmed in Harda and other parts of the state. As a mark of protest, people are also changing their social media profile pictures to that of Col Qureshi.
Shah later said he was willing to apologise as he hailed from a family of martyrs; however, reports suggest that no one from Shah's family had ever served in the armed forces. According to media reports, two BJP leaders, VD Sharma and Hitanand Sharma, have criticized Shah for his comment, and the party sources further reveal he might even be dismissed from his ministerial portfolio.
Previously, Shah has made offensive comments against women in the past. A lot of citizens and opposition leaders, including the senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, have demanded a penalty for his remarks, stating that such comments have no place in politics.
[Source Credit: CNBCTV 18]
