Today, On 19th May, The Supreme Court is set to hear Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah’s plea regarding his controversial remarks on Colonel Qureshi. The case has drawn attention over concerns of dignity and public accountability.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to hear a plea on Monday from Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah, challenging a high court order that directed an FIR against him for remarks aimed at Col. Sofiya Qureshi.
According to the Supreme Court’s cause list for May 19, the case will be heard by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh.
The bench, On May 16, scheduled Shah’s plea for discussion on Monday. Shah, a BJP leader, is contesting the May 14 ruling from the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which mandated the filing of an FIR based on his comments.
On May 15, the Supreme Court reprimanded Shah, emphasizing that “every word uttered by a minister has to be with a sense of responsibility at a time the country is undergoing ‘such a situation.’”
Chief Justice B.R. Gavai remarked to Shah’s counsel,
“What sort of statements are you making? You are a responsible minister of the government.”
The bench, which included Justice Augustine George Masih, added,
“Persons holding such a constitutional office are expected to exercise a degree of restraint.”
This was in response to senior advocate Vibha Datta Makhija, who had sought urgent listing for the matter, noting that the high court took suo motu cognizance and ordered an FIR.
Makhija informed the top court that Shah, the state’s tribal affairs minister, expressed remorse over his statement, asserting it was “a statement which was misunderstood as well, as he did not intend what the media portrayed.”
Shah is seeking a stay on the FIR, arguing that he was not given the opportunity to present his case before the high court. He faced backlash after a widely circulated video showed him making objectionable comments about Col. Qureshi, who, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, gained national attention during media briefings on Operation Sindoor.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court criticized Shah for his “scurrilous” remarks and for using “language of the gutters,” instructing the police to file an FIR against him for promoting enmity and hatred.
The high court stated,
“On the basis of what has been observed herein above, this court directs the Director General of Police of Madhya Pradesh to register forthwith an FIR against minister Vijay Shah for offences under sections 152, 196(1)(b) and 197(1)(c) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS),”
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.
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