BHOPAL: Beleaguered Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Vijay Shah has apologised for the third time in nine days for his controversial “sister of terrorists” remark on Indian Army’s Colonel Sofia Qureshi.
Shah, the 62-year-old eight-time BJP MLA and state’s tribal affairs minister, posted a video message as well as a written apology on his official letter pad on Friday, apologising for his “linguistic mistake.”
In the 24-second-long video message, Shah said, “It was my bhashai bhool (linguistic mistake) which has hurt a community, religion and countrymen. I never intended to hurt any religion, caste or community. I apologise to the Indian Armed Forces, sister Colonel Sofia Qureshi and countrymen for my words. I apologise to all with folded hands.”
He posted the same apology in writing on his official letter pad, maintaining that his words were a result of the deep pain and anger arising out from the Pahalgam terror attack.
Prior to this latest development, Shah had tendered conditional apology (if I’ve hurt, then I apologise) on May 13, and a public apology an at event in Indore on May 12.
On May 19, while hearing his plea against the FIR lodged against him on the basis of a Madhya Pradesh high court order, the Supreme Court had formed a special investigation team (SIT) comprising three IPS officers, including a woman officer, all from MP cadre, but hailing from outside the state.
The SC had earlier criticised the minister for issuing conditional apologies, stating that it was akin to shedding crocodile tears..
Importantly, this first unconditional apology is seen as a result of Shah’s growing isolation in the party over the issue. Informed sources in Bhopal claim that he was in Delhi recently and tried to meet the party's top leadership to present his side on the issue, but efforts went in vain.
Barring two BJP MLAs, including ex-minister Usha Thakur and first-time minister Pratima Bagri, none are siding with him amid rising demands for his resignation/dismissal from the state council of ministers.
The latest development has come two days after a group of concerned citizens, including retired high-ranked officers of the three wings of Indian Armed Forces, former IAS officers, ex-scientists, educationists and economists, with former chief of naval staff Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat being most prominent among them, wrote to President Droupadi Murmu about the recent derogatory statements of MP minister Vijay Shah and state’s deputy CM Jagdish Devda for the Indian Armed Forces.
In the letter, it has been mentioned that the derogatory statements made by the two ministers can adversely affect the morale of the serving personnel of the country’s defence forces, resulting in weakening of national security and territorial integrity.
“Because of the stringent laws and rules governing discipline in the Defence Forces, its serving personnel are debarred from responding to these derogatory, humiliating statements. We therefore respectfully request you (the President), to issue directions for appropriate action to be taken by the Government to prevent recurrence of such regrettable incidents, in the interest of national unity and security,” the letter mentioned further.
While Shah already faces a FIR under Sections 152, 196(1)(b) and 197(1(c) of BNS for his “sister of terrorists” veiled remark about Colonel Sofia Qureshi, MP deputy CM and finance minister Jagdish Devda is also under opposition’s sustained attack over his May 16 speech at an event in Jabalpur, where he had allegedly said that “entire armed forces bowed down in the feet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Devda, however, had clarified that his statements were distorted and presented in the wrong manner, as he had actually said that the entire country and people bow down in the feet of the Indian Armed Forces for their valour during Operation Sindoor.