Bhopal, Aug 26 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday demanded that the President dismiss the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh for ‘not sanctioning’ the prosecution of minister Vijay Shah for his objectionable remarks about Indian Army officer Colonel Sofia Qureshi.
State Congress President Jitu Patwari, in a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, alleged that the government was providing political patronage to a “loudmouth minister”, and the ruling party was obstructing the judicial process to shield a political figure from accountability.
The Supreme Court had earlier this year directed the Madhya Pradesh government to decide on the sanction for Shah’s prosecution within two weeks. But no proposal in this regard was discussed during Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, even though the next court hearing is scheduled for August 31.
No proposal regarding the sanction was presented during the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, said minister Rakesh Singh. Finance Minister Jagdish Devda also later confirmed the same to PTI.
“The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Supreme Court has sought sanction for prosecution. In such a situation, the government’s stand raises a serious constitutional question for the country: whether those in power are above the law,” Patwari said in his letter to Murmu.
This was a “very shameful chapter” in Madhya Pradesh’s political history and the issue was not just Tribal Welfare Minister Vijay Shah’s conduct but the constitutional and moral accountability of the Chief Minister and the entire cabinet, the letter said.
“Therefore, the entire cabinet, including the Chief Minister, should be immediately dismissed,” Patwari wrote.
The President is the supreme guardian of the military and the Constitution, and the people of the country expect her to fulfil her constitutional responsibility to protect the dignity of the Constitution, independence of the judicial process and honour of the Indian Army, he said.
The Congress leader also expressed hope that the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also clarify their position on the issue and not allow political influence to obstruct the judicial process.
Colonel Sofia Qureshi was part of the team of military officers who briefed the media during Operation Sindoor targeting terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the aftermath of the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.
Shah’s comments about Colonel Qureshi at a public function, which were interpreted as linking her religion to the community of the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack, evoked strong reactions. The Madhya Pradesh High Court took suo motu cognizance and ordered the registration of an FIR against the BJP minister.
Shah approached the Supreme Court which too condemned his statements and constituted an SIT. After its report was presented before the court, the judges directed the Madhya Pradesh government to decide within two weeks on the sanction for the minister’s prosecution.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi noted that it was necessary to take cognizance of the offence under Section 196 (promoting communal disharmony and hatred) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. PTI MAS KRK
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