The Supreme Court on Monday firmly rejected the apology tendered by Madhya Pradesh Minister Vijay Shah for his offensive remarks targeting Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, one of the senior officials who had briefed the media on Operation Sindoor. The apex court termed the apology as insincere and lacking in genuine remorse, likening it to 'crocodile tears'.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh pulled up the minister for his “crass and thoughtless” comments, stating that Shah's conduct was unbecoming of a public servant. "The kind of crass comments you made, completely thoughtlessly. What prevented you from making a sincere attempt? We don't require your apology. We know how to deal with [you] as per the law," Justice Surya Kant remarked during the hearing.
In response to the controversy and public outcry, the Supreme Court ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the FIR lodged against Minister Shah. The court specified that the SIT must consist of three senior IPS officers, with at least one member being a woman.
The bench further admonished Shah for his conduct, emphasising the responsibility that comes with holding public office. “You are a public figure, a seasoned politician. You should weigh your words. You were at the verge of using abusive language, you stopped. You were about to use filthy language, you couldn’t find a word so you stopped,” the court said, underscoring the gravity of the minister’s statements.
The controversy stems from a recent public speech made by Shah, who serves as the Tribal Welfare Minister in Madhya Pradesh. Referring to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, he made communal and inflammatory remarks about Colonel Qureshi, who was involved in briefing the media following the counter-terror operation.
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In his speech, Shah insinuated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent “a sister from the same community” as the perpetrators of the attack to exact revenge. He said, “Modi ji is striving for the society. Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson.” The audience responded with applause.
Continuing his analogy, Shah added, “Now, Modi ji could not have done the same. So he sent a sister from their society, so that if you widowed our sisters, a sister of yours will come and undress you.” The comment, widely condemned for its communal tone and vulgarity, was seen as an indirect reference to Colonel Qureshi, a senior Army officer involved in the operation.
The Supreme Court called the remark “the most unfortunate statement” and stressed that as a minister, Shah was expected to uphold a higher standard of conduct. The court's intervention is being seen as a significant move to ensure accountability among elected representatives, especially when their words target members of the armed forces and stir communal tensions.
Also Read: Apex court asks minister to apologise to Col Sofiya
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