Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah has forfeited his moral and constitutional right to remain in office. His appalling remark calling Colonel Sofia Qureshi, an Indian Army officer, the “sister of terrorists” is not merely a slip of the tongue—it is a dangerous, defamatory insult to a decorated officer and a disgrace to the values the Indian Republic holds dear.
Colonel Qureshi, along with Air Force officer Vyomika Singh, was entrusted with briefing the media on Operation Sindoor, a meticulously planned military response to the terrorist massacre in Kashmir on April 22. The operation’s name, a reference to the vermillion symbol of marital status among women, had a logical cultural undertone.
Ironically, it was only women who were spared in the terror attack, with the killers targeting men after verifying their religion. It’s a different matter that a Kashmiri Muslim man and a Christian from Indore were among the 26 slain.
In such a context, Qureshi and Singh became the public face of India’s resolve. Their clarity and poise helped the nation understand the scope of our armed forces’ action. That Shah, a state minister, saw fit to malign such a person not only reveals his bigotry but also undermines the credibility of his office and the government he represents.
Yet, neither Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav nor the BJP’s central leadership deemed it necessary to act. In any responsible democracy, Shah would have been asked to resign or be summarily dropped from the cabinet. That he continues to hold office speaks volumes about the culture of impunity that has crept into political life.
Thankfully, the Madhya Pradesh High Court rose to the occasion. A division bench comprising Justice Atul Sridharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla took suo motu cognisance of Shah’s “scurrilous” comments, condemning the language as that of the “gutters”.
Their intervention compelled the state police to act, registering an FIR against Shah under Sections 196 and 152 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, which deal with promoting enmity and endangering national unity. Had an ordinary citizen made such remarks, arrest would have been swift and certain. That Shah remains free and in power shows the two-tiered system of accountability at work.
Of course, he has the right to seek legal remedy, but that does not entitle him to remain a minister. His remarks are incompatible with the inclusive spirit required of someone entrusted with tribal welfare. Given his repeated outbursts and the Chief Minister’s own past embarrassment over them, it is high time Shah was shown the door—for the dignity of the armed forces, the Constitution, and the nation.
