Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Madhya Pradesh Cabinet minister Vijay Shah apologised once again on Saturday for his objectionable remarks targeting Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, saying the comments were made in the “excitement of patriotism”.
This came two days before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter relating to his prosecution for the remarks. It is also the fourth time Shah has apologised since the controversy erupted in May.
In a video posted on social media, Shah said he had no intention of insulting a woman officer, the Indian Army or any section of society, and claimed that his words did not reflect his feelings.
“Those words were uttered in the enthusiasm, excitement and passion of patriotism,” he said. “The sentiment behind the mistake should be considered. You all know that I had no malicious intent.”
He added that he had apologised earlier and was doing so again, saying it was “extremely painful” for him that a controversy had arisen from what he described as a “small mistake”.
The matter pertains to remarks made by the BJP leader at an event in Mhow on May 13.
Shah had said that those who had widowed the daughters of India had been taught a lesson by Prime Minister Narendra Modi “by sending the sister from their own community”. He repeated the remark immediately after saying it the first time.
While the BJP leader did not name a person, Opposition parties had alleged that the minister was alluding to Qureshi, one of the spokespersons during the media briefings relating to Operation Sindoor held by the external affairs ministry and the defence ministry.
On May 14, the Madhya Pradesh High Court took suo moto cognisance of the matter and ordered the registration of a case against Shah. The High Court had also observed that Shah’s remarks referred to “none other but” Qureshi.
Shah was subsequently booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, an act hurting harmony between communities and for making statements about a member of a community in a manner that could adversely affect communal harmony.
The BJP leader had moved the Supreme Court.
On May 13, Shah apologised and said that his remark should not be viewed “in a different context”.
Shah had said that he was ready to apologise “10 times” if his remark had hurt “society and religion”.
The minister had also issued another apology the next day, saying that he was “ashamed and saddened” by his comments. “Our country’s sister Sofiya Qureshi ji has worked rising above caste and society while fulfilling her national duty,” he added.
Rejecting Shah’s apology, the Supreme Court on May 19 ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team to look into the matter. The bench had stayed his arrest and ordered him to join the investigation.
In August, the investigating team submitted its request to the state government for a sanction to prosecute the minister.
On January 19, the Supreme Court told the Madhya Pradesh government to decide within two weeks on granting the sanction to prosecute Shah.
A sanction from the state government is necessary for the court to take cognisance of the offence under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to the promotion of communal hatred and ill will.
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