MP government defends decision not to prosecute minister over Colonel Qureshi remarks

The Madhya Pradesh government has refused to grant sanction to prosecute cabinet minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his controversial remarks about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and will present a five-point reply to the Supreme Court explaining its decision. The state cabinet and governor have approved the move. The government argues that no complaint was filed against Shah, he did not name Colonel Qureshi in his statement, and he subsequently apologized multiple times. It also claims his remarks did not disturb communal harmony or intend to insult anyone. Shah faced backlash in May 2025 after a video showed him making objectionable comments about Colonel Qureshi, who gained prominence during Operation Sindoor media briefings. The Supreme Court had previously criticized Shah for not placing a public apology on record, and an SIT probe into the matter is complete.