By The Sampadak Express
The Supreme Court on Monday sharply rebuked Madhya Pradesh BJP minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his controversial remarks targeting Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, dismissing his apology as insincere and questioning whether it amounted to “crocodile tears” to escape legal consequences.
Colonel Qureshi, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, had briefed the media on the military dimensions of Operation Sindoor, India’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 civilians dead. In retaliation, Indian armed forces targeted terror hubs in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Punjab province on May 7, reportedly eliminating over 100 terrorists.
A video of Shah’s public speech went viral on social media, where he referred to Colonel Qureshi as the “sister of terrorists.” “Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson,” he stated, in a remark widely condemned as derogatory and inflammatory.
During Monday’s hearing, a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh expressed strong disapproval of Shah’s comments. “The kind of crass comments you made, completely thoughtlessly… We don’t need this apology,” the court observed, emphasizing the gravity of his words. “We saw your videos; you were on the verge of using filthy language,” the bench added.
Underscoring the responsibility of public representatives, the court reminded Shah that his words carry weight and must be chosen carefully.
In a significant directive, the court also ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. The SIT must be constituted by May 20 and will include three senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from outside Madhya Pradesh, one of whom must be a woman. The team will be led by an officer of at least Inspector General (IG) rank, with the remaining members holding a minimum rank of Superintendent of Police (SP).
The case continues to draw national attention as a test of political accountability and the protection of armed forces personnel from targeted public vilification.
