Bhopal, May 13 Senior BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah's alleged remarks on Indian Army's Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, on Tuesday, sparked a major controversy.
In a video surfaced on social media, Shah was heard saying that, "Those who killed and vanished our Hindu sisters' 'sindoor' (vermillion) in Pahalgam, PM Modi send their own sister (Sofiya Qureshi) to insult and take revenge."
He was also heard saying that, "Since, PM Modi couldn't take off their (Pakistanis) clothes himself, hence he send the woman of their own community (Muslim) to do so."
The Minister made these controversial remarks addressing a public programme on Monday (as banner put up behind Minister Shah in the video shows).
Ironically, when Kunwar Vijay Shah was making this statement, senior woman MLA and former Minister Usha Thakur, who was also present at the event, was clapping with others.
The Opposition Congress took strong objection over Minister Shah's remark, saying that the BJP Minister has crossed all limits of decency and dignity of words and has given a disgusting and shameful statement.
"Insult of our nation's pride, our brave officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is an insult to the women power of the entire country," Madhya Pradesh Congress said in a statement, demanding that the BJP should ask Kunwar Vijay Shah to resign from the Ministry immediately.
Vijay Shah's remark was not only condemned by Congress, but people from all walks of life, including media persons, social activists, among many others.
Notably, Indian Army's Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, one of the officers who briefed the media about 'Operation Sindoor', has earned the distinction of being the first woman to lead an Indian Army training contingent at Force 18, a multinational field exercise involving ASEAN Plus countries.
She was also the only female commander among all participating nations, underscoring India's commitment to increase women's participation in military roles.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi has an old connection with Madhya Pradesh as reports claimed that she studied till Class 5 at Nowgong in the Chhatarpur district.
She studied in the Government Primary School at Nowgong in childhood, as her father was posted there.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi's male cousin and other family members still live at the family's ancestral home in Chachcha colony in Nowgong.
Her family members and other residents celebrated the success of Operation Sindoor as well as the fact that Colonel Sofiya Qureshi was part of the media briefing team about the operation.
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