BJP in damage-control mode after Colonel row

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh BJP is in damage control mode after tribal welfare minister Vijay Shah’s outrageous remarks on Col Sofiya Qureshi, who had briefed the media on Operation Sindoor with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and foreign secretary Vikram Misri.

Late Tuesday, state BJP scrambled a delegation, headed by former MLA Manvendra Singh, to Col Qureshi’s ancestral home in Naugaon in Chhatarpur district to meet family members. News of the row reached New Delhi, and BJP national president JP Nadda asked for a full report on the issue.

As the party’s central leadership took cognisance of the issue, state BJP organisational general secretary Hitanand Sharma summoned Shah to the party office in Bhopal late Tuesday. In a tearing hurry, the minister reached BJP state HQ in his slippers. After meeting Sharma, he was told to meet state party chief VD Sharma close to midnight.

Shah on Wednesday indicated that his words were “twisted” and said he was prepared to apologise 10 times “if he has hurt the sentiments of any person or community”. “Our sister Sofiya has brought triumph to India... She is more respected than my own sister... I salute her for her service to the nation. I cannot even think of humiliating her in my dreams,” he said.