“Sister from their society”: Vijay Shah’s communal slur on Col. Sofiya Qureshi draws outrage

Madhya Pradesh's Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah has stirred a major controversy yet again, this time over deeply communal remarks targeting Indian Army officer Colonel Sofia Qureshi. Speaking at a government event in Manpur near the army cantonment town of Mhow on May 13, Shah appeared to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack but used disturbing communal and gendered language while doing so.

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Referring to Operation Sindoor, Shah claimed that Modi had sent a “Sister from the same community” as Pakistanis to retaliate. “Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson,” he said, drawing applause. He added that Modi couldn't identify the attackers by religion as they did, so he sent “A sister from their society… to undress them,” referring to Col. Qureshi.

However, Col. Qureshi did not take part in the military operation itself. She, along with IAF's Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, had only briefed the media on the action. The comments drew swift backlash, with the Congress demanding Shah’s dismissal, calling the remarks misogynistic and communal. Shah later claimed his comments were misunderstood and that he considered Qureshi “Like a sister.”

Shah, a veteran BJP MLA and minister, has a history of controversial remarks, particularly against women. He was previously forced to resign in 2013 over offensive comments about a former CM’s wife but was later reinstated.