Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal
Bhopal, May 15: Madhya Pradesh minister Kunwar Vijay Shah has issued a public apology following nationwide outrage over his controversial remarks targeting Col Sofiya Qureshi, a senior army officer who gained recognition for her role in Operation Sindoor.
“I am ashamed and deeply saddened by what I said. I sincerely apologise from the bottom of my heart,” Shah said in a video message, hours after the Jabalpur high court directed the police to register an FIR against him.
The court came down strongly on Shah, describing his language as ‘scurrilous’ and akin to the ‘language of the gutters’. The bench instructed the state police chief to file a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those related to promoting enmity and endangering national unity. Failure to comply, the court warned, could result in contempt proceedings.
The controversy erupted after a video surfaced showing Shah allegedly saying, “Those who wiped the sindoor off our daughters’ foreheads... we sent their sister to teach them a lesson,” in a veiled reference to Col Qureshi. The comment sparked sharp criticism across political lines and civil society.
Shah later clarified that his intent was to praise Qureshi’s service but admitted his words were poorly chosen. “I respect Col Sofiya and the entire military. My mind was distracted, and I ended up saying something wrong. I am truly sorry,” he said.
The backlash was swift. Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh, and Sachin Pilot condemned the remark, with Kharge alleging that the ‘BJP-RSS mindset is anti-women’. The National Commission for Women also denounced the statement and demanded greater respect for women in uniform.
Even within the BJP, senior leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi criticised Shah, calling him a ‘fool’ who had become a ‘laughing stock’.
Protests broke out in multiple cities across Madhya Pradesh, including Indore and Bhopal, with demonstrators burning effigies of Shah and expressing solidarity with Col Qureshi, whom they hailed as ‘Bharat ki Sherni’.