Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal
Bhopal, May 14: The Madhya Pradesh BJP unit on Wednesday disassociated itself from controversial remarks made by state minister Kunwar Vijay Shah about Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The party emphasized that it does not support statements targeting individuals who have brought honor to the nation.
State BJP president V.D. Sharma confirmed he had spoken with Shah shortly after the issue came to light. He said clear instructions were conveyed to the minister, though he declined to disclose the specifics. “No one has the right to disrespect Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who has made the country proud with her service,” Sharma stated.
Sharma also dismissed the Congress’s demand for Shah’s resignation, saying, “Colonel Sofiya Qureshi served under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. She is a matter of pride for all of us.”
On Tuesday evening, Sharma summoned Shah to the BJP headquarters in Bhopal for a closed-door meeting, following which a photo of the interaction was shared publicly.
Meanwhile, the Congress intensified its protests across Madhya Pradesh, reiterating its call for Shah’s removal from the tribal affairs portfolio. Demonstrations were held in seven locations across the state, and party workers blackened the nameplate outside Shah’s official residence in Bhopal.
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh described Shah’s remarks as “highly objectionable” and demanded strict action from the BJP leadership.
The controversy began after Shah, speaking at a government function in Mhow on Monday, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Referring to Operation Sindoor, the Indian response to the attack, Shah stated that the Prime Minister had sent a "sister from the same community" as those in Pakistan to avenge the assault.
“PM Modi is working for the upliftment of society. Those who widowed our daughters (in Pahalgam), we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson,” Shah said.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and IAF Wing Commander Vyomika Singh had jointly briefed the media during Operation Sindoor. Qureshi's service was widely commended for its professionalism and poise, and Shah’s remarks have drawn criticism for being communal and diminishing of her contribution.