Today, On 23rd July, A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking the dismissal of Madhya Pradesh BJP Minister Vijay Shah over his controversial remarks on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who led the military operation ‘Operation Sindoor’ and addressed the media.
New Delhi: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court demanding the dismissal of a Madhya Pradesh BJP minister who made controversial remarks about Colonel Sophia Qureshi, who led the military operation Operation Sindoor and briefed the media about it.
The petition has been filed by Dr. Jai Thakur.
The petitioner alleged that Minister Shah’s comments violate Article 164(3) of the Indian Constitution. Therefore, he has urged the court to immediately remove the minister from office.
Earlier, on 28th May, The Supreme Court terminated the suo motu proceedings pending in the Madhya Pradesh High Court against Vijay Shah, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Madhya Pradesh minister, regarding his comments about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
The Supreme Court of India, On May 19, strongly criticised Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah for his controversial remarks made against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
The top court has now ordered the formation of a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to thoroughly investigate the FIR filed against him.
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).
Colonel Qureshi had briefed the media during India’s recent military operation against Pakistan.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court, On May 14, initiated a suo motu case against Shah and ordered the registration of a criminal case. In response, he approached the Supreme Court.
Following significant criticism, the BJP minister expressed his willingness to apologize multiple times if his comments had caused any hurt, emphasizing that he respected Col. Qureshi more than his own sister.
An FIR was subsequently filed against Shah in Indore district on May 14, following the high court’s directive, under Sections 152 (acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India), 196(1)(b) (promoting enmity between different groups based on religion, race, language, or similar characteristics), and 197(1)(c) (actions likely to cause disharmony, enmity, or hatred among different groups) of the BNS.