The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday castigated state minister Vijay Shah for passing “scurrilous” remarks and using “language of the gutters” against Colonel Sofia Qureshi, and ordered the police to file an FIR against him on the charge of promoting enmity and hatred.
It also said, “The armed forces were perhaps the last institution in this country that reflect integrity, discipline, sacrifice, selflessness, character, honour and indomitable courage”.
Shah, the tribal affairs minister of MP and BJP leader, sparked a major controversy with objectionable comments against Colonel Qureshi, whom he tried to project as a “sister of terrorists”.
He made the remarks while addressing a gathering at Ramkunda village near Indore on Monday, sparking an outrage against the minister.
Colonel Qureshi came into the spotlight for holding regular press briefings along with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh about ‘Operation Sindoor’ conducted last week by Indian Armed Forces, to strike terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the controversial statements, the High Court’s division bench of Justices Atul Shridharan and Anuradha Shukla ordered the police to register a first information report (FIR) against the minister by 6 pm on Wednesday.
“The same must be done by today evening, failing which tomorrow, when the matter is listed, the court may contemplate proceeding against the Director General of Police of the state for contempt of this order,” the court order said.
After strong criticism, Shah had earlier said,” If anyone is hurt by his statement, he was ready to apologize ten times, adding that he respected Colonel Qureshi”.
The Congress has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack Shah from the Madhya Pradesh cabinet.
( With input from PTI)
