Madhya Pradesh's Tribal Welfare Minister, Vijay Shah, is once again embroiled in controversy. This time, his offensive remarks about Colonel Sofia Kureishi, a brave female officer of the Indian Army, have sparked a political firestorm.
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh's Tribal Welfare Minister, Vijay Shah, is again in the spotlight for his controversial statements. Recently, during a public event, he made offensive remarks about Colonel Sofia Kureishi, the first female Colonel in the Indian Army, drawing sharp criticism. This is not the first time Mr. Shah has been involved in such a controversy; he has faced similar situations due to his past statements. His remarks about former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's wife also caused significant controversy, forcing the party to issue clarifications.
Remarks on Colonel Sofia Spark Fresh Furor
On May 12th, during a public program in Indore, Vijay Shah used highly offensive language against Colonel Sofia Kureishi, attempting to label her as "the sister of terrorists." This comment was not only an insult to the female officer but also a direct attack on the respected institution of the Indian Army.
The matter escalated to the point where the Madhya Pradesh High Court took suo moto cognizance. The division bench of Justices Atul Shridharan and Anuradha Shukla termed his language as "gutter language," stating it was an insult to the Indian Armed Forces. The court directed the police to register an FIR immediately.
Dinner Invitation to Vidya Balan and Cancelled Shoot?
In 2020, Vijay Shah was in the headlines when, as the Forest Minister, actress Vidya Balan was shooting her film "Sherni" in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh. Media reports suggest that Vijay Shah invited Vidya Balan to dinner, an invitation she declined. Shortly after, the shooting team was suddenly denied permission to access the forest area. Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta termed this an abuse of power.
While Vijay Shah denied these allegations, claiming he had rejected lunch and dinner offers from those granting shooting permissions, the opposition alleges that his "personal insult" was avenged through a government order.
Unseemly Remarks about the Former Chief Minister's Wife
In 2013, during a public gathering in Jhabua district, Vijay Shah made an unseemly remark about the wife of the then Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan. This statement caused internal turmoil within the BJP, and under immense pressure, he was forced to resign from his ministerial post. Questions were raised then, as they are now, about whether such leaders should be allowed to hold ministerial positions.
Elected eight times as an MLA from Harsud (ST) seat, Vijay Shah has a long political career. He has served as Education Minister, Forest Minister, and now Tribal Welfare Minister. Having won elections continuously since 1990, Vijay Shah has always claimed a clean image, but his verbal slips repeatedly land him in trouble.
Congress Attacks, Demands Resignation from PM
State Congress President, Jitu Patwari, demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately seek Vijay Shah's resignation. He questioned whether this is BJP's definition of nationalism, where a female officer of the army is insulted in such a manner. Senior leader Digvijay Singh also reacted sharply, stating that Vijay Shah's language mirrors that of the BJP's troll army. He urged the Prime Minister to clarify whether he approves of these comments.
Following media criticism and the court's strict action, Vijay Shah issued a clarification, stating that if anyone was offended by his statement, he was prepared to apologize ten times over. He claimed to respect Colonel Sofia as much as, if not more than, his own sister.
