Bhopal: The BJP in Madhya Pradesh has swung into a comprehensive damage control exercise after Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah’s controversial remark in which he referred to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi as the “sister” of the Pahalgam terrorists.
At an event in Mhow Tuesday, Shah had said India taught a lesson to those responsible for the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack using “their own sister”. It was understood that he was referring to Colonel Qureshi, who had briefed the public on Operation Sindoor.
Amidst a growing clamour for his removal in the cabinet, the state BJP has gone from covering his photos on posters at government events to dedicating its Tiranga Yatra to Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, for their contribution to Operation Sindoor.
Launching the BJP’s statewide Tiranga Yatra from Bhopal’s Roshanpura Square Thursday to mark the success of Operation Sindoor, state party president V.D. Sharma said, “We are proud of the three armed forces of India and our sisters Sofiya Qureshi and Vyomika Singh. Operation Sindoor is a big step towards fulfilling the resolution of PM Modi to destroy Pakistan sponsored terrorism.”
Shah’s remarks drew outrage and condemnation from the Opposition, forcing him to issue an apology. The Madhya Pradesh High Court Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of his statement, less than 24 hours after his speech. It ordered an FIR against him.
Shah moved the Supreme Court against the HC directive. The SC said ministers must speak with responsibility, and refused immediate intervention.
As the matter escalated and the BJP drew widespread criticism, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav told the media Thursday evening the state government is following the court’s orders and would continue to follow its direction.
But he hit back at the Congress, when asked about its demand for Shah’s resignation.
“Why doesn’t the Congress ask for the resignation of Siddaramaiah. All Congress chief ministers have cases registered against them. The Congress supported Kejriwal even when he was sent to jail while being the chief minister. Where had the Congress gone then?” he asked.
BJP state minister Pratima Bagri meanwhile came to Shah’s defence.
Shah’s words were presented incorrectly and he has already apologised, said the minister of state for urban development and housing. “He had already issued a clarification and expressed regret. It was not his intention to insult anyone.”
Kamleshwar Dodiyar, a tribal leader and Madhya Pradesh’s only independent MLA, claimed Shah was being targeted as he was a tribal leader. “A tribal leader rarely gets a chance to become a minister. Vijay Shah is a seasoned leader and we are supporting him, keeping ideological and party differences aside. He is being targeted because he is a tribal,” Dodiyar posted on X in Hindi.
The state BJP held a meeting at the chief minister’s residence Wednesday, the day the High Court ordered an FIR against Shah. Apart from Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, V.D. Sharma and party’s organisational secretary Hitanand Sharma attended the meeting.
Sources in the party said the matter was discussed, but leaders did not agree on action to be taken against the minister.
Requesting anonymity, BJP leaders said the direction to fire him has to come from the party high command and there are multiple reasons—they pointed out he is an influential tribal leader with a strong sway over tribal votes—the top leadership is reluctant to drop him.
Also Read: Sexist jibes to communal remarks, the many controversies of MP minister Kunwar Vijay Shah
Why Vijay Shah seems indispensable in MP
Vijay Shah is a descendant of the Raj Gond tribal royal family of Makrai princely state that falls in present-day Harda district of Madhya Pradesh.
With its sizeable population in Makrai, the Gond community’s influence is not only in the Harda district but also extends to adjoining Khandwa, Burhanpur (Nimar region) as well as Betul and Narmadapuram districts of the state.
According to the 2011 census, about 21 percent of the state’s total population are tribals. Gond are the second largest tribal group, with a population of over 43 lakh.
Many in Shah’s Harsud constituency still refer to him as ‘raja’ (king). He has won eight consecutive elections since 1980, even though his party might have lost.
He first joined the state cabinet as the minister of culture in the Uma Bharti government in 2003. Since then, Vijay Shah has held one cabinet portfolio or the other, except for a brief two-year period when the BJP was out of power between 2018 to 2020.
The BJP loss in 2018 was majorly attributed to its failure to get tribal and Schedule Caste votes in the proportion it used to. Of the 43 ST (reserved) seats, the BJP won just 16, a massive drop from 31.
Once the BJP returned to power in March 2020 after toppling the Kamal Nath-led Congress government, it rolled out an extensive tribal outreach. The BJP went from legalising ‘mohua’, a traditional tribal drink, as a heritage drink to constructing tribal museums, naming railway stations and city squares after prominent tribal leaders including Rani Kamlapati, the Gond tribal queen of Bhopal.
Following the BJP’s spectacular win in 2023, Vijay Shah was given three departments including the tribal affairs, even though the party went for an overhaul, dropping several old faces such as nine-time MLA Gopal Bhargav from the Cabinet.
This also comes at a time when the saffron party finds itself without many prominent tribal leaders in MP—it often presents Faggan Singh Kulaste and Vijay Shah as their tribal faces.
The Congress on the other hand has a large number of tribal faces—Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar and Hiralal Alawa from Dhar, Kantilal Bhuria and his son Vikrant Bhuria from Jhabua, Omkar Singh Markam from Dindori, Phundelal Singh Marko in Shahdol, and former home minister Bala Bacchan in Barwani.
“Of the 230 assembly seats, nearly 73 are influenced by tribal votes,” Prof Yatindra Sisodia, director at Madhya Pradesh Institute of Social Science Research, told ThePrint.
“While Shah’s influence outside his constituency is debatable, within BJP circles, he remains one of the most visible tribal faces, particularly in western Madhya Pradesh where voting pattern often fluctuates,” added Sisodia.
The second reason for the BJP high command dithering over the question of Shah’s sacking, party sources say, is their assessment the controversy may die down soon as it happened many a time in the past in case of many state ministers.
“When the entire country is celebrating the Modi government’s success in giving a befitting reply to Pakistan, a minister’s remark won’t stay in public memory for long. The Opposition will also forget about it soon,” said a BJP leader in Delhi, adding the party leadership hasn’t “closed their mind” on the resignation yet and they are in a wait-and-watch mode.
Their apprehension, he said, is that sacking Vijay Shah will give more ammunition to the Opposition and result in a loss of face for the BJP nationally.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Vijay Shah’s comment on Col Qureshi is a mindset that has gone unchecked for years
