BJP minister calls Col. Sofia ‘sister of Pahalgam terrorists’; triggers outrage

May 13, 2025 by News Desk

Madhya Pradesh Tribal Welfare Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah has stirred a major controversy with communal remarks made about Indian Army officer Colonel Sofia Qureshi during a public function on May 13 in Manpur, near the Mhow army cantonment.

Referring to Operation Sindoor—India’s military response to a deadly terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam—Shah praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi but drew sharp criticism for how he framed the role of Col. Qureshi, who had briefed the media during the operation.

In his speech, Shah said, “Those who widowed our daughters [in Pahalgam], we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson.” He further added, “Modi ji could not have done the same. So he sent a sister from their society—so that if you widowed our sisters, a sister of yours will come and undress you.”

These comments were widely seen as communal, implying that Col. Qureshi was chosen for the media briefing because she belongs to the same religious community as people in Pakistan. The fact that she was not involved in the military offensive but only in official briefings further fueled the backlash.

The remarks went viral and were condemned across political and civil society circles. The Congress party called them “deeply offensive” and “an insult to both women and the armed forces.” Congress spokesperson Abbas Hafiz demanded Shah’s immediate dismissal, saying he had a history of making derogatory remarks about women.

This is not the first time Shah has found himself in hot water.