Hyderabad, May 17
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly condemned Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah for his remarks against Col Sofiya Qureshi, calling him “scum” and “filth” and demanding his immediate removal and arrest.In a sharp reaction during an interview, Owaisi said Shah's comments reveal a deep-seated hatred against a particular community. He urged the BJP government to take strict action against the minister to set a precedent.
Owaisi lashed out at Shah for insinuating that Col Qureshi was the “sister of Pakistanis”, despite her being a decorated officer in the Indian Armed Forces.
He further stated that Shah’s previous derogatory comments about former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s wife were also overlooked by the BJP, suggesting that caste and vote-bank politics were protecting the minister.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court took suo motu cognisance of Shah’s comments made at a public event in Indore district, where he allegedly referred to Col Qureshi as the “sister of terrorists”. Following the court’s directive, police have registered an FIR against him.
The court observed that Shah’s remarks were “disparaging” to the armed forces, calling them perhaps the last institution in the country that embodies “integrity, discipline, sacrifice, selflessness, character, honour and indomitable courage.”
Col Sofiya Qureshi had recently drawn national attention along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh during press briefings related to Operation Sindoor.
