MP Congress demands Vijay Shah’s dismissal

The opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh held press conferences on Sunday at various cities of the state, demanding the immediate sacking of State Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah and a public apology from State Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda for their respective derogatory comments against the Indian Armed Forces, officers, and soldiers.

Addressing mediapersons at the State Congress Headquarters at Bhopal, former union minister and former MP Congress President Arun Yadav alleged that the recent objectionable statements by the BJP ministers and leaders have not only insulted the Armed Forces but also have hurt the sentiments of 140 crore Indians.

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Yadav said the Congress will not tolerate such acts, and the party will continue protests till Shah is dismissed and Devda apologises publicly.

MP Assembly’s former Deputy Speaker Heena Kanwre also levelled similar charges on the ruling BJP, while addressing mediapersons at Sagar.

Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah is facing an FIR, and has been severely reprimanded by the Supreme Court too, over his speech at Mhow on 12 May when he made derogatory comments hinting at Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Quereshi, and termed her as ‘a sister of terrorists.’

State Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Jagdish Devda caused further embarrassment to the ruling party when he said in his speech at an event in Jabalpur on 16 May that the Indian Armed Forces and all soldiers are ‘natmastak’ (bowing down with their heads) at the feet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving a befitting reply to terrorists and Pakistan in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of three senior IPS Officers of MP, formed on the directives of the Supreme Court to probe Vijay Shah’s case, is scheduled to submit its first status report to the apex court in the hearing of the matter set for 28 May.