Madhya Pradesh HC Orders FIR Against BJP Minister Over Communal Remark Targeting Muslim Army Officer
In a stinging rebuke to hate speech and communal insinuation at the highest levels of public office, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday ordered the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against state minister and senior BJP leader Kunwar Vijay Shah for what it described as “cancerous and dangerous” comments aimed at Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
A Division Bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla delivered the order while expressing grave concern over Shah’s inflammatory remarks made during a public event in Mhow, where he allegedly referred to Colonel Qureshi as the “sister of terrorists” responsible for the deadly Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives.
“Prima facie, the minister’s statement encourages feelings of separatist activity and endangers the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India,” the court observed, noting that such comments have no place in a constitutional democracy, especially when targeted at members of the Indian Armed Forces.
Colonel Qureshi, a decorated officer and one of the official spokespersons during the recent Operation Sindoor—India’s military action against Pakistan—was one of the most prominent public faces during media briefings alongside Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. The court said Shah’s comments clearly alluded to her, disguised as innuendo but unmistakable in implication.
“The Minister made unpardonable statements against Colonel Qureshi as an innuendo, but which can refer to none other but her alone, as there is no one else who will fit the comment,” Justice Sreedharan noted in his detailed order.
Shah’s speech, widely circulated online and covered by major national media outlets, reportedly described the Indian Army’s counter-terror operations as a lesson taught by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the “sister of the same community”—a phrase repeated thrice in a speech laced with communal overtones.
The High Court’s remarks were particularly scathing in their defense of the armed forces, calling them “perhaps the last institutional bastion reflecting integrity, industry, sacrifice, selflessness and unlimited courage,” adding that Shah’s comments struck at the heart of this institution.
The court also drew attention to the dangerous communal undertones of the remarks. “Colonel Qureshi is an adherent of the Muslim faith,” Justice Sreedharan said, adding, “The statement has the propensity to give the feeling that irrespective of selflessness and duties towards India, such a person could still be derided only because she happened to belong to the Muslim faith.”
Highlighting the potential societal harm, the Bench stated that the minister’s speech was “capable of causing disharmony and feelings of enmity or hatred” between communities, in violation of fundamental tenets of Indian law and social fabric.
In a landmark move, the court directed the Director General of Police (DGP), Madhya Pradesh, to ensure that an FIR is registered against Shah under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The ruling comes amid heightened public sensitivity and international scrutiny of communal rhetoric in Indian politics, especially in the wake of Operation Sindoor—a high-stakes cross-border military action. The comments by Shah have been widely condemned across civil society, opposition parties, and defense circles, seen as undermining the morale of the armed forces and inflaming religious tensions.
This judicial order not only underscores the accountability of elected officials but also signals an assertive stand by the judiciary against the politicization of religion and the targeting of India’s uniformed personnel.
The case is likely to resonate beyond India’s borders, especially given its implications for civil-military relations, minority representation, and the limits of political speech in the world’s largest democracy.
As the matter proceeds through legal channels, all eyes will be on whether the law can effectively safeguard both the dignity of the armed forces and the secular fabric enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
