Vijay Shah’s remarks on Col Sofiya Qureshi are a threat to India’s unity and an affront to free Speech
In a nation where the armed forces stand as the ultimate symbol of unity, sacrifice, and national pride, any attempt to sully their dignity is an attack not just on individuals, but on the very fabric of the Republic. When that attack comes from a sitting minister of the state Government, it ceases to be a matter of political impropriety and crosses into the territory of constitutional disgrace.
This is precisely what unfolded when Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Kunwar Vijay Shah made derogatory and inflammatory remarks directed at Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a decorated officer of the Indian Army. His statement — laced with communal undertones and vile innuendos — implied that Colonel Qureshi was the “sister of terrorists†involved in the Pahalgam attack, a slander that the Madhya Pradesh High Court described as “nauseating,†“disparaging,†and “dangerous.†Taking suo motu cognisance of the statement, a division bench comprising Justices Atul Shreedharan and Anuradha Shukla ordered the Director General of Police to register an FIR within four hours, warning that failure to do so would invite contempt of court. The court invoked provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including — Section 152 — for acts endangering the sovereignty and integrity of India, Section 196(1)(B) — for statements prejudicial to religious harmony and Section 197 — for assertions that could harm national integration.
The Court did not mince words. By referring to Colonel Qureshi, a Muslim woman serving the nation with distinction, in the language of “gutters,†the minister not only undermined the integrity of the Armed Forces, but also fanned the flames of religious divisiveness.
This is not a political issue. This is a moral and constitutional failure. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi represents the finest values of India — duty, courage, and commitment. To question her loyalty based on her faith is not just intellectually bankrupt, it is constitutionally untenable.
To drag religion into the realm of military service is to strike at the root of national unity. It demoralises not just the officer in question, but every soldier in uniform who expects, and deserves, that their sacrifices will be recognised without prejudice.
Free speech is the cornerstone of democracy. But free speech is not a free pass for hate. It is not a license to defame, communalise, or incite. The Constitution of India allows freedom of expression with reasonable restrictions. Among these are the preservation of public order, decency, and national security.
Shah’s comments fail on all these counts. This incident is not just about one minister’s reprehensible conduct. It’s about drawing a line — a line that demarcates democratic dissent from communal defamation, leadership from irresponsible demagoguery.
No one — regardless of political stature — has the right to degrade those who serve the country selflessly. When we fail to speak up against such verbal violence, we normalise it. And when that normalisation reaches the ranks of the armed forces, we risk tearing apart the very idea of India.
