BJP minister labels Indian army spokesperson Colonel Sofia Qureshi 'sister of terrorists'

A minister from India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has triggered widespread condemnation after calling Indian Army spokesperson Colonel Sofia Qureshi, a Muslim officer, the “sister of terrorists” during a public speech.

Kunwar Vijay Shah, tribal affairs minister in Madhya Pradesh, made the remarks on Monday at a community event in Mhow, a strategically important town that houses one of India’s major military bases.

Referring to Colonel Sofia Qureshi’s role in Operation Sindoor—India’s recent action against Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Kunwar Vijay Shah praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for responding strongly, but used inflammatory and communal language.

Pakistan responded to Indian strikes by shooting down six Indian aircraft and drones, including Rafale jets.

"They widowed our daughters. So we sent a sister from their society to do the same to them,” Kunwar Vijay Shah said. He added that Modi could not act like the terrorists, “so he sent a sister from their society to undress them,” implying retribution by someone of Muslim identity.

Colonel Qureshi had been among the few uniformed female officers briefing the media alongside Indian Air Force’s Wing Commander Vyomika Singh during Operation Sindoor.

Political backlash and apology

The remarks drew swift and harsh criticism from India’s opposition Congress Party, which posted the clip online and condemned the statement as an insult to women in uniform.

“The brave daughters of our army are being called sisters of terrorists—this is shameful,” the Congress wrote on the social platform X, formerly Twitter.

“Will PM Modi and the BJP apologise? Or will Shah be rewarded for this disgusting mentality?” read the Congress statement.

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari demanded Kunwar Vijay Shah’s immediate removal from the cabinet, calling the comments “communal, indecent, and anti-national.”

Under mounting pressure, Kunwar Vijay Shah issued an apology the following day, saying his comments were misunderstood and made “in anger” over the Pahalgam attack.

“I salute sister Sofia, who rose above caste and community to make India proud. She is more respectable than my sister,” he said, while claiming to come from a military family himself.

Past controversies

This is not the first time Kunwar Vijay Shah has made headlines for controversial remarks. In 2013, he resigned from a previous cabinet position following allegations of inappropriate comments about women in the BJP, including the wife of then Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

In March 2024, Kunwar Vijay Shah faced backlash for suggesting actress and BJP MP Hema Malini be made brand ambassador of India Post to attract savings, stating, “We are Hema Malini’s followers. We’ll bring all the poor people’s money into the post office.”