Today, On 16th May, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav said he will follow the court’s directions amid calls for Minister Vijay Shah’s resignation. He also hit back at Congress, citing ongoing legal cases against several of its leaders.
Bhopal: After a lengthy period of silence, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav finally addressed the controversy that has stirred the state’s political scene. In response to the Congress party’s call for Minister Vijay Shah’s resignation, he pointed out that the Congress itself is facing legal issues, with several of its leaders embroiled in pending cases.
Adding that it was puzzling why the Congress had not called for the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he questioned,
“How can they demand resignations from others when they have failed to uphold accountability within their own ranks?”
Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda confirmed that the matter is being seriously discussed at the highest levels of party leadership.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that Minister Vijay Shah has been out of public sight since Wednesday afternoon, following persistent protests from Congress members demanding his removal from office.
His absence also follows the High Court’s stern criticism of the police’s handling of the FIR, which was noted to lack proper legal drafting.
In Bhopal, police intervened to stop a group of Congress women activists from demonstrating outside Minister Shah’s residence. The activists, holding posters of Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, chanted slogans demanding action.
In anticipation of potential unrest, security forces deployed a substantial number of personnel in Shyamala Hills to protect the minister’s home.
Additionally, Congress workers organized protests at police stations in Sagar and Morena, urging authorities to file FIRs against Shah. Congress legislators plan to meet with Governor Mangubhai Patel on Friday to formally request the minister’s immediate removal.
Leader of the Opposition, Umang Singhar, stated that party MLAs will call on the Governor to take swift action in removing Shah from his ministerial role.
In Indore, in an effort to distance itself from the escalating controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers discreetly covered a banner featuring Minister Vijay Shah at an event organized by the Indore Municipal Corporation.
Earlier in the day, Shah approached the Supreme Court seeking interim relief, but his request was denied.
Following that, the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued a sharp four-page order criticizing the state police for its poorly drafted FIR against the minister.
During Thursday’s hearing, a division bench consisting of Justice Atul Shridharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla criticized the state police, calling the FIR a mere formality.
The court highlighted that several essential legal provisions were missing, despite clear directives given the day before.
Due to the significant deficiencies in the FIR, the judiciary deemed it necessary to supervise the investigation to protect its integrity from external influence or political pressure.
The controversy originated from Shah’s provocative comments during a program in Raikunda, Mhow (Ambedkarnagar), where he allegedly suggested that the Prime Minister had appointed a “sister” of those involved in the Pahalgam terror attack.
While Colonel Qureshi’s name was not explicitly mentioned, the implication was clear, sparking outrage in political circles.
With the political atmosphere already tense, the High Court took suo motu cognizance of the issue, expressing serious “dissatisfaction” with the FIR filed at Manpur Police Station in Indore (rural) on Wednesday.
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