Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 15 : Madhya Pradesh Mahila Congress staged a massive protest against state cabinet minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his objectionable remark on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi in Bhopal on Thursday, demanding immediate dismissal of the minister.
The Congress workers were heading to Gherao, the Minister's residence in the state capital. Still, the police stopped the protesters near the state museum in the city ahead of his bungalow.
During the protest, they raised slogans and demanded Vijay Shah's dismissal from the ministerial post.
MP Mahila Congress president Vibha Patel alleged that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had not asked for Minister Shah's resignation so far. Instead, the state government was trying to save him.
"The Chief Minister has not asked for the resignation of Vijay Shah yet; instead, the government is trying to save Vijay Shah. We demand that the Chief Minister should dismiss such a minister and take immediate action against him because it is not just an insult to the women but to our Army, who bravely fought against the enemies," Patel told ANI.
Another Congress leader, Santosh Kansana, highlighted that the Madhya Pradesh High Court noticed the issue and directed the registration of an FIR, taking suo motu action on the matter. But where are Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Mohan Yadav?
"Minister Vijay Shah, who is an ill-mannered person, has not only insulted Sofiya Qureshi but the entire women of the country. Sofiya Qureshi madam made the nation proud, and the minister not only insulted her but also the entire Indian Army. We do not want such a minister. He should resign from his post. I want to ask the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister why the High Court noticed the matter that it was an act of insult to women and directed to register an FIR, but where are the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister? I urge PM Modi to ask for the resignation of such a minister who cannot respect women," Kansana told ANI.
Meanwhile, veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former CM Uma Bharti also expressed disappointment in Minister Vijay Shah's controversy. They stressed that his dismissal presents a surprising dilemma.
"A minister like my own brother (Vijay Shah) in our state should either be dismissed or he should resign because his uncivilized statement is embarrassing to all of us; the dilemma in his dismissal is surprising," Bharti posted on X on Thursday.
Nonetheless, following the direction of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, an FIR was registered against Minister Vijay Shah over his objectionable remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi at Manpur police station in Indore district.
The FIR was filed under sections 152, 196(1)(b), and 197(1)(c) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). This comes after a division bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur took suo motu cognisance against him and directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of the state to lodge an immediate FIR.