'Insult to Army': Congress chides MP deputy CM for 'bowing down at PM's feet' remark

'Words are not enough to praise the reply given to Pakistan through Operation Sindoor', Devda said.

New Delhi: After Minister Vijay Shah’s contentious comments against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda on Friday triggered another controversy, saying that the “entire country, its army and soldiers” have “bowed down at the feet” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after ‘Operation Sindoor’, prompting the Congress to demand his sacking.

Addressing Civil Defence volunteers in MP's Jabalpur, he said, "we want to thank the Prime Minister. The entire country, its army and soldiers have bowed at his (PM's) feet. Words are not enough to praise the reply given to Pakistan through Operation Sindoor. Let's give a big round of applause to him (Modi)."

Later, he claimed his statement was "distorted" by the Opposition and that he meant to say that the people have bowed before the Army. Devda's comments came days after another MP Minister Vijay Shah came under fire for his comments that Modi took a symbolic step of sending "a sister (Col Qureshi) from their community" to confront those responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people were killed.

Congress attacked the BJP for "insulting the Army" and demanded his sacking. Party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "the constant insult of our army by BJP leaders is extremely shameful and unfortunate. First a minister of Madhya Pradesh made an indecent comment on women soldiers and now their Deputy Chief Minister has grossly insulted the army."

She said the people of the entire country are proud of the valour of the army but the BJP is "insulting" the force and instead of taking action against these leaders. Claiming that the BJP is "trying its best to save them", she asked, "what message does BJP want to give to our army and people of the country by doing this?"

Congress Social Media and Digital Platforms Chairperson Supriya Shrinate said, "this time, an apology will not work, a regret will not suffice. This time, the BJP and Modi himself must sack this Deputy CM. Otherwise, why must it not be assumed that Modi himself has approved this insult of our armed forces and propagated this notion of it bowing at his feet? This must be seen as political patronage by the PM himself."

Asking whether anyone can imagine any Indian ever saying something as "blasphemous and brazenly shameless" as what Devda remarked, she said, "the entire country is grateful for what our armed forces have done. They have consistently taught a lesson to our enemies. Our armed forces have divided Pakistan into two. We have always given a befitting reply in 1965, 1971, 1999, and even after the Pahalgam terror strike."

She said Devda's statement was a "brazen violation of what this country feels" for the armed forces, which is "absolute respect". She also said that the BJP has not yet taken any action against Shah who has made communal remarks against Col Qureshi.

"Both the Delhi and Madhya Pradesh governments remained mute spectators until the Jabalpur High Court ordered an FIR to be filed - an FIR that has since been reduced to a mockery. The High Court has taken strong cognisance of the matter, clearly stating that the charges listed in the FIR would not stand the test of law and has directed that the FIR be amended without fear or favour," she added.