MP minister Shah faces house heat over remarks on Col Qureshi; Cong says he must quit

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Vijay Shah faced calls for resignation in the assembly from the opposition Congress over his controversial remarks on Army officer Colonel Sofia Qureshi as he rose to reply to a question in the house.

The house was briefly adjourned after Congress members created a ruckus during the Question Hour and demanded the resignation of Shah, who holds Bhopal gas tragedy relief and rehabilitation, public assets management and tribal affairs portfolios in the BJP government.

As soon as the BJP minister rose to reply to a query of Congress MLA Arif Masood regarding the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, opposition members were up on their feet, demanding the resignation or sacking of Shah for disrespecting a woman Army officer.

They trooped into the well of the house and shouted, Vijay Shah 'istifa do (resign), Vijay Shah ko 'barkhaast karo' (sack him).

Speaker Narendra Tomar asked Congress MLAs to maintain calm and take their seats, but the opposition members ignored his advice and continued with their protest.

Treasury benches comprising ruling BJP members also raised slogans against the opposition, saying they have disrespected the Army.

As accusations flew thick and fast between treasury and opposition benches, the Speaker tried to maintain order in the house. But when the opposition members did relent, Tomar adjourned the house briefly amid deafening sloganeering.

On Monday (July 28), the Supreme Court pulled Shah for not issuing a public apology over his remarks against Col Qureshi, saying he is testing the court's patience.

A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said the conduct of the minister was making the court doubt his intentions and bonafide.

Senior advocate K Parmeshwar, appearing for the BJP minister, said he had issued an apology, which was online, and would be placed on court's record.

The bench asked the special investigation team (SIT) constituted to probe the statements made by the minister to submit its report by August 13.

Shah came under fire after a circulated widely video showed him allegedly making objectionable remarks against Col Qureshi, who gained nationwide prominence along with another woman officer, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, during the media briefings on 'Operation Sindoor', India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in May.

Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh High Court rebuked Shah for passing "scurrilous" remarks and using "language of the gutters" against Col Qureshi, and ordered police to file an FIR against him on the charge of promoting enmity and hatred.

After drawing severe condemnation, Shah expressed regret and said that he respects Col Qureshi more than his sister.

The top court on Monday also questioned the apology issued by the minister and said the word 'apology' has a meaning. The court refused to accept the apology and ordered the state government to form an SIT to investigate the matter. PTI LAL RSY