“By insulting a brave woman officer of the Indian Army, Colonel Sofia Qureshi, Madhya Pradesh Minister Vijay Shah has hurt the honour of woman power, the armed forces, and our unity,” Rai said on X on Tuesday.
He added, “His comments reflect a petty and disgusting mindset. How can a person holding a position of responsibility make such immoral and hateful remarks? Prime Minister Narendra Modi must seek his resignation immediately or sack him. Otherwise, it will be seen as Modi’s silent approval of this vile statement.” Rai further said that such remarks were not surprising, given the BJP and RSS’s “history of misogyny and hate.” The Congress shared a video in which Shah is purportedly heard making objectionable remarks, saying, “‘Jinhone humari betiyon ke sindoor ujade the… humne unhiki behen bhej kar ke unki aisi ki taisi karwayi (those who wiped sindoor (vermilion) off our daughters’ forehead… we sent their sister to teach them a lesson)’.” Speaking to reporters, Shah said, “If my words have hurt society and religion, then I am ready to apologise ten times.” .
Colonel Qureshi was part of the tri-services team that conducted press briefings on Operation Sindoor alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. The Indian military response came after terrorists carried out a brutal attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead.PTI KIS DV DV