‘Sister of terrorists’; Insults Col Sofiya Qureshi, BJP slams Madhya Pradesh minister

NEW DELHI: The BJP said the party will send a show cause notice to Madhya Pradesh minister, who insulted Colonel Sofiya Qureshi involved in Operation Sindoor’s press briefings. The action is against Madhya Pradesh Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah. Shah's remark was that Sofiya Qureshi is the sister of terrorists. The Congress also came forward against the minister’s statement.

Vijay Shah made the insulting remark during an event held in Indore. The minister said the terrorists killed our Hindu brothers by making them remove their clothes. PM Modi ji responded by sending their (terrorists') sister in an Army plane to strike them in their houses. They (terrorists) made our sisters widows, so Modiji sent the sisters of their community to strip them and teach them a lesson", the BJP leader said in a gathering. Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari has shared the video on social media. He also asked if the BJP accepts this thinking of the minister. The Congress clarified that Shah's remark is tantamount to insulting the Indian Army. After the incident became controversial, Vijay Shah also responded by saying that they are our sisters and that the speech should not be misunderstood.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is an officer from the Indian Army's Corps of Signals. This high-ranking military officer has achieved many historic achievements in her 35 years. In March 2016, when she was Lieutenant Colonel, Sofiya Qureshi achieved her first milestone by becoming the first woman officer to lead a military contingent in a multinational military exercise.

The exercise, dubbed 'Exercise Force 18', is the largest foreign military exercise India has ever hosted. The Pune-based exercise saw the participation of soldiers from 18 countries, including ASEAN member states and global powers such as Japan, China, Russia, the United States, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia. Sophia Qureshi was the only woman officer among them. As the Commanding Officer of the 40-member Indian contingent, Colonel Sofiya led her team in critical training sessions focusing on Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs) and Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA). She served as a Military Observer in the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Congo in 2006. She has been working with PKOs since 2010.