BJP minister calls Col Sofia Qureshi ‘sister of terrorists’

Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, has called Indian Army officer Colonel Sofia Qureshi as ‘sister of terrorists’.

The BJP leader made the comment while addressing a public meeting in Mhow, Indore district, on May 13, 2025.

On Wednesday, the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the registration of an FIR against Shah for his comment.

The comments, which appeared to link Colonel Qureshi to “terrorists” while referencing her role in media briefings for Operation Sindoor, drew widespread condemnation from opposition leaders, activists, and the public. 

Following intense backlash and a summons from the state BJP leadership, Shah issued a public apology, claiming his remarks were misconstrued.

Speaking at a government function in Manpur near Mhow, Shah praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership in response to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack. However, his speech took a divisive turn when he alluded to Colonel Qureshi, who, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, briefed the media on Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the attack.