Shah, frequently in the spotlight for negative reasons, made this remark at a public event in Madhya Pradesh. This incident adds to his lengthy history of inappropriate comments towards women. Col Qureshi, along with Wing Commander Singh, has become emblematic of Operation Sindoor, now finds herself as the latest target of Shah’s outburst.
The Jabalpur court has taken suo motu cognizance of Shah’s comments on Col. Qureshi. The court has instructed the police to file an FIR against Shah under strict legal provisions.
After his recent remarks regarding Col Qureshi, Shah attempted to mitigate the situation by stating to journalists that he would be willing to apologize. He claimed that he would never disrespect a soldier, as he comes from a family of martyrs and servicemen. However, a fact-check by News18 India revealed that no one in Shah’s family has served in the military.
The BJP and RSS have since issued a reprimand to Shah for his comments. He faced criticism from state BJP president VD Sharma and general secretary Hitanand Sharma. Party insiders hinted that Shah could once again be stripped of his cabinet position.
The Congress party has taken a firm stance against Shah’s remarks. Several party leaders changed their social media profile pictures to a photo of Col Qureshi, demonstrating their solidarity. Protests are being organized across Harda and Madhya Pradesh.
Senior Congress figure and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh condemned Shah’s statements, asserting, “The entire nation is proud of Col Sofia and is celebrating her for her representation of the Indian Army during Operation Sindoor. Yet politicians like Vijay Shah make such comments believing it garners them attention and advancement within their party. This isn’t the first time he has uttered derogatory, divisive, and objectionable remarks. I urge the BJP leadership to take decisive action against him.”
Shah, originally from the Harda region and claiming lineage from a royal tribal family, is facing severe backlash across the nation, particularly from residents of Madhya Pradesh, his own constituency. Various citizen groups in Harda have demanded his dismissal and urged all political parties to deny him future nominations.
This isn’t Shah’s first brush with controversy. In 2013, while serving in the Madhya Pradesh cabinet, he made an offensive remark about Sadhana Singh Chauhan, the wife of then-Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Although reprimanded and removed from his position at that time, Shah was still fielded by the BJP in subsequent elections, receiving tickets in both the 2018 and 2023 state polls. As a current eight-time MLA, Shah’s political trajectory seems unaffected by his continuous misconduct.
Shah has also made numerous objectionable remarks targeting Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over the years.
With inputs from Manoj Sharma, News18
(Edited by : Priyanka Rathi)
First Published: May 14, 2025 3:28 PM IST
