Bhopal: In a sharp rebuke to derogatory comments made by Madhya Pradesh minister Kunwar Vijay Shah against Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday ordered the registration of an FIR, marking a rare judicial intervention in a politically charged matter.
The court directed the state Director General of Police (DGP) to register the FIR by Wednesday evening, cautioning that any delay or failure to act would invite proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act. The bench, led by Justice Atul Sreedharan, made it clear that accountability must follow, regardless of political stature.
The minister’s counsel argued that the court’s intervention was based only on newspaper clippings. However, the court dismissed the argument and decided to attach video evidence to the official record. In a striking remark, Justice Sreedharan added, “I may not be alive tomorrow,” stressing the urgency of the case and the court’s commitment to swift justice.
The court noted that Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, or caste, could be prima facie invoked in this matter.
The controversy erupted after Kunwar Vijay Shah, the state’s Tribal Affairs Minister, made inappropriate comments about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who recently briefed the media on Operation Sindoor, an Indian military operation that neutralised terrorist threats and drone incursions from across the border.
Shah’s comments, made during a public address in Indore on Monday, drew sharp criticism from both the opposition Congress and within the BJP itself.
Calling the remarks “shameful and vulgar,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the incident reflects a dangerous mindset that disrespects women in uniform. “Our armed forces deserve the highest regard — not slander from those in power,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Facing public backlash, Vijay Shah issued an apology on Tuesday, stating his comments were “misunderstood” and “not intended to disrespect the armed forces.”
But the High Court remained unsatisfied, pointing out that the dignity of a serving Army officer — especially one breaking gender barriers — cannot be undermined with such casual remarks.
