BJP distances itself from 'Sofiya Qureshi' remark by party leader; Congress demands resignation

The Madhya Pradesh BJP on Wednesday officially distanced itself from controversial remarks made by state minister Kunwar Vijay Shah regarding Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, an Indian Army officer who played a prominent role in Operation Sindoor. The party clarified that it does not support any disrespectful statements against individuals who have served the nation with distinction.

Speaking to the press, state BJP president V.D. Sharma said that he had personally spoken to Shah as soon as the matter came to light and had conveyed the party’s position. While Sharma did not reveal the details of the conversation, he emphasized that the BJP leadership took the issue seriously and acted promptly.

“The BJP is highly sensitive to such matters. No one has the right to insult Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who has brought pride to our country through her service. She is above politics,” Sharma said. He avoided commenting on opposition demands but affirmed the party’s respect for armed forces personnel.

The controversy stems from Shah’s speech at a government event in Mhow (Indore district) on Monday, where he made a communal reference while lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Shah said, “Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister from their own community to teach them a lesson.”

This comment was perceived as a communal reference to Colonel Qureshi’s background. The Congress and civil society groups criticized the remark as divisive and disrespectful to a decorated army officer. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh were both part of the official briefing team for Operation Sindoor.

In response, the Congress party staged protests across seven locations in the state and demanded Shah’s resignation from his tribal affairs portfolio. Late Tuesday night, Congress workers also blackened the nameplate at Shah’s official residence in Bhopal as a sign of protest.

Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh slammed Shah’s remarks as “highly objectionable” and urged the BJP central leadership to take strict disciplinary action against him. Shah was summoned to the BJP state headquarters on Tuesday for a 30-minute closed-door meeting with Sharma. A photo from the meeting was later released to the media.