In a strong condemnation on Saturday, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi called Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah “scum” and “filth” for his controversial comments targeting Col Sofiya Qureshi. Owaisi urged the BJP-led state government to remove Shah from his cabinet position and arrest him, saying this would send a powerful message across the country and beyond.
Owaisi praised Col Qureshi as India’s “daughter and sister,” condemning Shah’s insinuation that she is related to Pakistanis. “How come she is their sister? She is the country’s daughter… country’s sister. She is part of our armed forces,” Owaisi said, criticizing Shah for viewing her through a communal lens and linking her to terrorists.
He added, “What the minister has said indicates his hatred towards a community. He should hate terrorism from Pakistan, not a Muslim name. If you have hatred based on religion, no medicine can cure you.”
The minister’s offensive remarks came to light after he referred to Col Qureshi as the “sister of terrorists” during a public event in Indore district. Following the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s suo motu intervention, an FIR was registered against Shah for his disparaging comments, which the court described as an insult to the armed forces — an institution embodying “integrity, discipline, sacrifice, selflessness, character, honour and indomitable courage.”
Owaisi also highlighted Shah’s earlier offensive comments about the wife of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, questioning why Shah had not been removed from office despite those remarks. “Because he belongs to one caste, and votes matter. It’s up to the BJP whether it prioritizes the country or politics,” Owaisi remarked.
The controversy comes amid widespread respect for Col Qureshi, who, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, has been in the national spotlight for her role in Operation Sindoor. Owaisi’s demand for Shah’s removal and arrest reflects growing calls to hold public officials accountable for communal and disrespectful statements against the armed forces and its personnel.