‘Entire nation is ashamed of you’: Supreme Court to BJP leader Vijay Shah, orders SIT probe
New Delhi, May 19: The Supreme Court on Monday delivered a stern reprimand to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Madhya Pradesh minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his controversial remarks targeting Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, the Army officer who had briefed the media during India's recent military operation against Pakistan reports Bar & Bench.
According to Bar & Bench, a Bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh was hearing Shah’s plea challenging a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that had directed the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against him.
The Court refused to accept Shah’s apology and questioned its sincerity, calling it an attempt to avoid the consequences of his statements. “The entire nation is ashamed of you,” the Court reportedly said, adding that it was up to Shah how he sought to redeem himself.
The Bench made it clear that the apology offered by the minister lacked authenticity and dismissed it as a strategic move made in poor taste. The controversy stems from a comment reportedly made by Shah: “Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson.” The High Court had taken suo motu cognizance of this remark and ordered criminal proceedings against him. The Supreme Court, while staying Shah’s arrest for the time being, ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to probe the matter. Shah has been directed to cooperate fully with the investigation.
The judges remarked that as a seasoned politician and public figure, Shah should have exercised restraint and been mindful of his language, particularly when addressing sensitive national matters. The Court suggested that Shah’s speech, as seen in video recordings, indicated he was on the verge of using even more offensive language before stopping himself. According to the Court, Shah’s actions had hurt public sentiment and undermined the dignity of discourse. The Bench emphasised that offering an apology “with conditions” did not amount to genuine remorse. It also noted that Shah appeared unwilling to admit the impact of his words and continued to make conditional statements such as “if I have hurt anyone.” While clarifying that the High Court had not convicted Shah, the Supreme Court underscored that judicial processes must be allowed to proceed in accordance with law. The SIT is expected to begin its investigation under the Court’s supervision.
