SC raps BJP minister for calling Colonel Qureshi 'terrorist sister'
What's the story
The Supreme Court has refused to intervene in the FIR lodged against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his comment calling Colonel Sofiya Qureshi a "sister of terrorists."
Shah had approached the top court after the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the filing of the FIR.
"Person holding such an office is expected to maintain such a decree...every sentence uttered...has to be with responsibility," the court said while hearing an urgent mentioning of his plea.
Statement
Controversial remarks by Shah
When Shah requested that no coercive action be taken until he was heard, the Supreme Court bench asked him to approach the high court.
It said, "Go apply to HC...We'll have it tomorrow."
On Wednesday, the Madhya Pradesh HC initiated a suo motu case against Shah and directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to immediately register an FIR.
"Ensure that it is done. Otherwise...the State would face extreme embarrassment," Justice Atul Sreedharan told Advocate General Prashant Singh.
Court action
High court's response to Shah's remarks
The court said that Shah had used "the language of the gutters" against the army colonel.
"His comments are disparaging and dangerous, not just to the officer in question but to the armed forces itself," it added.
Shah, Madhya Pradesh's Tribal Affairs Minister, made the controversial remarks while speaking at a cultural function in Mhow.
He was addressing a gathering when he suggested that Colonel Qureshi was from the community of people who had attacked India.
Warning
Ready to apologize 10 times: Shah
"Jinhone humari betiyon ke sindoor ujade the... humne unhiki behen bhej kar ke unki aisi ki taisi karwayi, (Those people (terrorists) who had wiped out the sindoor (vermilion) of our sisters (in the Pahalgam terror attack)... we avenged these people by sending their sister to destroy them)," the minister said.
Amid massive backlash, Shah on Wednesday said that he regretted his remarks and that he was ready to "apologize 10 times."