Poster outside SP HQs demands BJP's apology over MP minister's remarks against Col Sofiya Qureshi

Lucknow, May 16 (PTI) A poster was put up outside the Samajwadi Party (SP) headquarters here on Friday demanding that the BJP apologise to the country over Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah's purported "insulting" remarks allegedly against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.

Shah came under fire after a purported video showed him making objectionable remarks allegedly against Col Qureshi, who gained nationwide prominence along with another woman officer, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, during media briefings on Operation Sindoor last week.

An initiative of SP leader Mo. Ikhlaq, the poster read, "Insulting daughter Sofia, who roared against the Pakistan army during Operation Sindoor, is an insult to the country. The BJP should apologise to the country.

"We will neither be divided in the name of Hindus and Muslims nor we will allow it..." read the poster, which also features pictures of Col Qureshi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and key party leaders.

The Aligarh District Congress held a protest march against the controversial comments made by Shah concerning Col Qureshi. The protest, which commenced from Railway Road and culminated at Rasalgung, saw senior Congress leaders demanding Shah's immediate removal and arrest.

Vivek Bansal, a senior state Congress leader and former MLA from Aligarh City, asserted that the minister's comments were not merely an aspersion against an individual Indian Army spokesperson but also a direct "slur on the traditional glorious spirit and valour of the Indian Army." He said "all responsible citizens are demanding the sacking of the above minister from his post and his arrest".

District Congress president Somveer Singh expressed shock that "till now no top national leader of the BJP had taken the minister to task".

Separately in Mathura district, Congress workers, led by district president Mukesh Dhangar, also demonstrated at the district headquarters, expressing their anger and demanding action against the minister. They submitted a memorandum to the deputy district magistrate in this regard.

Dhangar said, "The performance of Col Qureshi, who was handling the responsibility of press briefing during the dispute (war) with Pakistan, is a matter of pride for the country." He said a minister of the BJP government "has revealed his meanness by making indecent and objectionable statements against her". The Congress demands "immediate moral and legal action against him", he added.

Dhangar further criticised the BJP's "double standard", stating that if any other person had given such a statement, the BJP government would have sent him to jail. A case of treason would have been registered against him. But no action is being taken against the BJP leader. Whereas this is not the first incident of Vijay Shah making such statements. He keeps doing this often, he said.

An FIR was registered against Shah in Indore on May 14 following a Madhya Pradesh High Court order. The Supreme Court refused to stay the high court's order. PTI COR/CDN CDN KSS KSS