Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Supreme Court strongly reprimanded cabinet minister Vijay Shah over his controversial remarks on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during 'Operation Sindoor'. It has asked the Madhya Pradesh government whether to grant sanction for his prosecution within 2 weeks.
Notably, Minister Shah called Colonel Sofiya-- a terrorists' sister, sparking a national outrage.
The court, on Monday, stated that Shah's online apology was too late. The court directed the state government to decide within two weeks whether to grant sanction for prosecuting Shah.
SC express displeasure over govt's inaction
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta, and Justice Joymalya Bagchi expressed strong displeasure that the state government had not taken any decision on the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report for several months, even though the SIT had completed its investigation and submitted its final report.
The court has also asked for a report on the proposed action.
The bench also noted that the SIT report mentions some other instances where Shah allegedly made objectionable remarks. The Supreme Court asked the SIT to submit a report on the proposed action to be taken in these cases as well.
'...Modi ji sent their sister,' Vijay Shah's statement sparked nation outrage
Last year on May 11, while addressing an event in Raikunda village of Mhow, Indore, Minister Vijay Shah, referring to Colonel Sofiya said, "They (the terrorists) stripped and killed our Hindus, and Modi ji sent their sister to their house to teach them a lesson."
Shah further added, "Now Modi ji cannot strip them. So he sent a woman from their community to tell them that since you have widowed our sisters, a woman from your community will come and strip you naked. He wanted to send a lesson that we can send a woman of your community to Pakistan to avenge loss of sindoor (vermillion-- a symbol of married women in Hindu tradition).
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh led Operation Sindoor to avenge Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Lashmir last year, when 26 civilians were shot dead.
