The Madhya Pradesh Congress attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the State on Wednesday (August 26, 2026), over media reports claiming that the State Cabinet has refused to allow the prosecution of State Minister Vijay Shah for his derogatory remarks against Indian Army Colonel Sofia Qureshi last May, days after Operation Sindoor.
State Congress chief Jitu Patwari has written to President Droupadi Murmu, urging her to dismiss the Madhya Pradesh government for allegedly blocking the judicial process and shielding Mr. Shah from accountability.
“The Madhya Pradesh government’s decision not to grant sanction for prosecution against Vijay Shah, while also providing political protection to a loudmouth Minister, raises questions about the system in which the ruling party is standing as a wall in the way of the judicial process to shield its political figures from accountability. The government’s stance raises a serious constitutional question: Are those in power above the law?” Mr. Patwari wrote.
Delayed decision
In January, the Supreme Court had given the Madhya Pradesh government two weeks to take a decision on the special investigation team (SIT) request for sanction to prosecute him using an FIR filed on the direction of the M.P. High Court. The SC again pulled up the State in May over its delay in making a decision, and gave it four more weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for August 31 and the State is expected to file its reply by that date.
The Congress attack comes after a Hindi daily reported that the decision not to sanction Mr. Shah’s prosecution was taken at the State Cabinet meeting on August 25, in the presence of Ministers and a handful of top government officials.
The report, citing sources, claimed that the matter was discussed after most of the officials were asked to leave the meeting room, and that the reasoning used was that Mr. Shah has already apologised for his remarks several times. It also claimed that before Mr. Shah was asked to leave the room, he was given to chance to give his clarification on the SIT’s report.
However, there is no official confirmation on the decision, with Cabinet Minister Rakesh Singh, who briefed the media after the meeting, even denying that the matter was on the agenda.
‘Insult to the armed forces’
In his letter to the President, Mr. Patwari termed Mr. Shah’s remarks an insult to the armed forces, adding that the government’s attempts to shield him “amount to institutional protection to that insult and offence”.
The Congress leader also said that the M.P. government’s decision was “not possible without Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political consent”.
“This is a deeply shameful chapter in Madhya Pradesh’s political history, where the question now is not just about Vijay Shah’s conduct, but about the constitutional and moral accountability of the Chief Minister and the entire Cabinet! Therefore, the entire cabinet in Madhya Pradesh, including the Chief Minister, must be dismissed immediately!” he urged.
Later, Mr. Patwari alleged that while Mr. Shah should have been removed from his post following his remarks, the entire Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has now “passed a resolution” to defend him.
Public apologies
Mr. Shah, who is the State Minister for Tribal Affairs, and for Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation, had made his controversial remarks at a public event at Mhow near Indore on May 12, 2025, just days after the clashes between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. He allegedly implied that Colonel Qureshi was a “sister” of the Pahalgam terrorists. Colonel Qureshi was part of the team that had briefed the media during Operation Sindoor.
Even though the Minister did not name Colonel Qureshi in his remarks, he later named her in the clarifications he issued after the controversy erupted.
While he initially claimed that his words had been twisted, Mr. Shah subsequently issued multiple public apologies as well as apologising before the Supreme Court as he faced criticism from the judiciary and politicians alike.
