The Madhya Pradesh high court on Tuesday directed the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against BJP leader and state minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his controversial remarks calling Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi a “sister of terrorists”.
Acting suo motu, a division bench comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla described Shah’s comments as “disparaging,” “dangerous,” and “language of the gutters,” asserting that the remarks not only targeted Colonel Qureshi but also denigrated the Indian armed forces as a whole, reported LiveLaw.
The Court held that Shah’s statements attracted a prima facie offence under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which criminalises acts that endanger the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.
The bench noted that the minister’s remarks had the “propensity” to fuel the perception that a person’s religious identity could be used to undermine their service to the nation.
“The armed forces, perhaps the last institution existing in this country reflecting integrity, industry, discipline, sacrifice, selflessness, character, honour and indomitable courage... has been targeted by Mr. Vijay Shah who has used the language of the gutters against Col. Sofia Quraishi,” the Court stated in its order, as reported by Live Law.
The bench further observed: “It must be mentioned here that Col. Sofia Quraishi, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, were the face of the armed forces briefing the media and the nation of the progress of operation ‘Sindoor’ launched by our armed forces against Pakistan. The Minister made the unpardonable statements against Qureshi as an innuendo but which refers to none other but her alone.”
Justice Sreedharan and Justice Shukla underlined the communal undertone of Shah’s comment, stating, “Prima facie, the statement of the minister that Col. Sofia Quraishi is the sister of the terrorist who carried out the attack at Pahalgam encourages feelings of separatist activities by imputing separatist feeling to anyone who is Muslim, which thereby endangers the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India.”
The Court also warned against the dangers of such rhetoric, adding that it could create the impression that, regardless of their dedication and sacrifice for the nation, individuals could still be vilified “only because that person belongs to the Muslim faith.”
The matter is slated for further hearing on Wednesday.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi had emerged as the face of the Indian Air Force-led “Operation Sindoor” after she addressed media briefings regarding airstrikes on terrorist sites in Pakistan, carried out in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah sparked widespread outrage on Monday after he remarked, “Jinhone humari betiyon ke sindoor ujade the… humne unhiki behen bhej kar ke unki aisi ki taisi karwayi.” [Translation: Those people (terrorists) who had wiped out the sindoor (vermilion) of our sisters (in the Pahalgam terror attack)... we avenged these people by sending their sister to destroy them.]
As criticism mounted over the communal and misogynistic nature of his comment, Shah issued multiple apologies on Wednesday. “Sister Sofiya has brought glory to India by rising above caste and religion. Still, if my words have hurt society and religion, I am ready to apologise ten times,” he said.
He later claimed that his remarks had been misinterpreted and taken out of context, asserting that he had referred to all women officers with pride and had not intended any insult.
