Offensive remark against Col Sofia Qureshi Cong demands MP minister’s dismissal as HC orders FIR

    Bhopal, May 14 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday intensified its attack on the ruling BJP and demanded the dismissal of minister Vijay Shah after the Madhya Pradesh High Court took action against him over his alleged remarks against Colonel Sofia Qureshi.
    “The HC’s decision has established that Vijay Shah, apart from being a person, also represents a thought. This thought promotes narrow-mindedness and hatred in society and also affects the tradition of respecting women,” state Congress president Jitu Patwari said in a statement.
    Tribal affairs minister Shah, who commented on a brave daughter like Colonel Sofia Qureshi, does not even have the moral right to remain in the post of minister, Patwari said.
    The HC on Wednesday castigated Shah for passing “dangerous”, “scurrilous” remarks and using “language of the gutters” against Colonel Qureshi, and ordered the police to register an FIR against him for promoting enmity and hatred.
    Patwari said the BJP must understand that this is not a casual matter, but a question of the Constitution, the Army and the “respect of our daughters”.
    The harsh comments of the high court have proved that the matter is not just about politics, but also about justice, respect and social dignity, he said.
    Demanding Shah’s dismissal from the cabinet, he asked how long Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will remain “silent” on the issue, which he said concerns the respect of the country’s daughters.
    Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar also targeted the CM.
    “As his name suggests, he is as ‘silent’ as ‘Mohan’. Why are you silent about such ministers who are insulting the Army? The chief minister should tell when the minister will resign,” he said.
    Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Arun Yadav too made a similar demand.
    “If the BJP has morality and heartfelt respect for the Indian Army, which sacrifices for the country, then Shah should be shown the way out of the BJP with immediate effect,” he said.
    Taking suo motu cognisance of Shah's controversial statements, the high court's division bench of Justices Atul Shridharan and Anuradha Shukla said his remarks have the propensity to cause disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between members of different religions.
    It also said the remarks were "disparaging" to the armed forces, which is "perhaps the last institution in the country" that reflects integrity, discipline, sacrifice, selflessness, character, honour and indomitable courage.
    Colonel Qureshi came into the spotlight for holding regular press briefings along with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh about 'Operation Sindoor' conducted last week by the Indian armed forces to strike terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)