Sofiya Qureshi row fallout? BJP to organise communication skills training for Madhya Pradesh leaders

Bhopal: The BJP will organise a training camp for its leaders in Bhopal to enhance their communication skills and avoid goof-ups in public, a move the party sought to delink from controversies surrounding two ministers over their remarks on Col Sofiya Qureshi and the armed forces.

The state BJP claimed the training initiative was pre-planned and a routine intra-party affair.

"It has nothing to do with recent statements of BJP leaders. Such events are held routinely, and nothing more should be read into it," MP BJP spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi told PTI.

The schedule of the training camp, which will be organised in June, will be out shortly, he said.

The BJP faced criticism after state Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah purportedly termed Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, the face of media briefings on Operation Sindoor, a 'sister of terrorists', during his public speech.

The controversial remarks not only invited wide-scale condemnation from various sections of society and the Opposition, but also led to the registration of an FIR against the minister on the orders of the High Court.

Even before the political firestorm could die down, MP Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda said on Friday that Indian armed forces and all soldiers are 'natmastak' (bowing down with their heads at the feet) at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving a befitting reply to terrorists and Pakistan.

He claimed his remarks were twisted.

In further embarrassment to the BJP, its first-time MLA from Rewa district, Narendra Prajapati, has claimed that the UN had ordered India to "cease fire" with Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Chaturvedi said, "Prashikshan and Pratishthan (Training and Organisation) is our work culture. They are held regularly and routinely," he added.

Another senior BJP leader said a similar camp was organised ahead of the 2023 MP assembly polls in Sehore district. All Union Ministers and MPs from Madhya Pradesh, MLAs, BJP office-bearers and district presidents had participated, he said.

One of the objectives of the event was to enlighten new leaders and MLAs about the BJP's policies and ideology, while the other was to train them in public communication, he said.

He said senior leaders will brainstorm with ministers, MLAs, and other leaders at the upcoming camp in Bhopal.

Under Operation Sindoor, India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10.

The Pakistani attempts were strongly responded to by the Indian side by inflicting heavy damages to a number of key Pakistani military installations, including air bases, air defence systems, command and control centres and radar sites.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on May 10 announced that India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect.