Congress escalates protest against Minister Shah, urges Governor to remove him from office

Bhopal, May 16 (IANS) Protests are intensifying across the country against Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah following his controversial remarks about senior female Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The Congress party has been relentless in its criticism, demanding his immediate removal.

On Friday, a delegation of Congress MLAs, led by Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, met with Governor Mangubhai Patel to submit a memorandum advocating for Minister Shah’s dismissal.

Following this, Congress legislators staged a protest outside the Raj Bhavan in Bhopal, dressed in black as a symbol of their dissent, and shouted slogans against the Minister.

"We met Governor Patel and have demanded that Minister Vijay Shah be dismissed from the state Assembly. Congress will continue to protest until the BJP sacks him or he resigns," LoP in Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar told media persons outside Raj Bhavan.

Anticipating further tensions, security forces deployed a significant number of personnel in Shyamala Hills to secure the Minister’s residence.

Adding fuel to the political turmoil, Congress leader and retired Wing Commander Anuma Acharya took to social media to mock the situation.

In a post on X, she sarcastically remarked that the circumstances had deteriorated to the point where even “Donald Trump” might soon announce the resignation of Minister Vijay Shah.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court took “suo motu” cognisance of the issue on Wednesday, with a bench consisting of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla directing the Director General of Police to register an FIR against Minister Shah.

As a result, legal action has been initiated under sections 152, 196(1)(B), and 197(1)(C).

The controversy continues to escalate, with growing political tensions and increasing public outrage. The opposition is leveraging the situation to demand accountability, pushing for Minister Shah’s resignation.

Meanwhile, Shah’s supporters remain largely silent, as the case gains traction in legal and political circles.

State Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday told the media why Congress does not demand the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Several Congress ministers and office bearers are facing trial, he said.

Earlier on Thursday, Shah approached the Supreme Court seeking interim relief.

The controversy stems from Vijay Shah’s incendiary remarks during a program in Raikunda, Mhow (Ambedkarnagar), where he allegedly implied that Prime Minister Modi had appointed a "sister" of those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack to avenge India.

Although Colonel Qureshi’s name was not directly mentioned, the reference was unmistakable, fuelling outrage across political circles. With legal proceedings now underway and protests showing no signs of abating, all eyes are on how the government and judiciary will address the matter.

--IANS

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