The Madhya Pradesh High Court on May 14 took suo motu cognizance of the controversial statement of state Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah related to Colonel Sophia Qureshi and directed the state Director General of Police (DGP) to register an FIR against him.
The division bench of Justice Atul Shridharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed the government through Advocate General Prashant Singh on behalf of the state government to take action against Minister Vijay Shah soon without any delay.
The High Court, while directing the state DGP to take immediate action on this matter, also said, "This statement of Minister Vijay Shah is promoting communalism."
Congress demands resignation
After Vijay Shah's statement, the politics of the state has intensified. Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Umang Singhar has demanded action against Vijay Shah. Umang Singhar said- Madhya Pradesh government minister Vijay Shah made derogatory remarks against an army officer Sofia Qureshi. He has earlier also made comments against the wife of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj ji, after which he had to resign.
An insult to the army: Arun Yadav
Congress leader Arun Yadav also posted on X regarding this matter.
He wrote, "The government should immediately file an FIR against Minister Vijay Shah and expel him from the party. In the first instance, the Hon'ble High Court has considered the statement given by Minister Vijay Shah regarding the Indian Army and the Indian daughter Colonel Sophia Qureshi ji who fulfills her national duty, as an insult to the army, its identity and to lower its morale."
At the same time, Advocate General Prashant Singh, who is pleading on behalf of the state government, said, "We are waiting for the written order of the court, only after that we will be able to say something in this matter."
What did Vijay Shah say?
BJP leader and minister Vijay Shah was addressing a program in Raikunda village of Mhow in Indore district on Sunday.
A video of his address went viral on social media on Monday. In this he allegedly called the Indian Army's first female infantry officer, Colonel Sophia Qureshi, the "sister of terrorists".
After the video went viral, many people have protested against Shah not only in Madhya Pradesh but across the country.
The opposition Congress has called his statement unacceptable and provocative and has demanded that BJP should expel Vijay Shah.
Prakash Kumar Pandey