Madhya Pradesh minister Shah faces house heat over remarks on Col. Qureshi; Congress says he must quit
The house was briefly adjourned after Congress members created a ruckus during the Question Hour and demanded the resignation of Mr. Shah, who holds the Bhopal gas tragedy relief and rehabilitation, public assets management and tribal affairs portfolios in the BJP government.
As soon as the BJP minister rose to reply to a query of Congress MLA Arif Masood regarding the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, opposition members were up on their feet, demanding the resignation or sacking of Mr. Shah for disrespecting a woman Army officer.
They trooped into the well of the house and shouted, Vijay Shah 'istifa do (resign), Vijay Shah ko 'barkhaast karo' (sack him).
Speaker Narendra Tomar asked Congress MLAs to maintain calm and take their seats, but the opposition members ignored his advice and continued with their protest.
Treasury benches comprising ruling BJP members also raised slogans against the opposition, saying they have disrespected the Army.
As accusations flew thick and fast between Treasury and opposition benches, the Speaker tried to maintain order in the House. But when the opposition members did relent, Mr. Tomar adjourned the house briefly amid deafening sloganeering.
On Monday (July 28, 2025), the Supreme Court pulled Mr. Shah for not issuing a public apology over his remarks against Col. Qureshi, saying he is testing the court's patience.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said the conduct of the minister was making the court doubt his intentions and bonafide.
Senior advocate K. Parmeshwar, appearing for the BJP minister, said he had issued an apology, which was online, and would be placed on the court's record.
The bench asked the special investigation team (SIT) constituted to probe the statements made by the minister to submit its report by August 13.
Mr. Shah came under fire after a widely circulated video showed him allegedly making objectionable remarks against Col. Qureshi, who gained nationwide prominence along with another woman officer, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, during the media briefings on 'Operation Sindoor', India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in May.
Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh High Court rebuked Mr. Shah for passing 'scurrilous' remarks and using 'language of the gutters' against Col. Qureshi and ordered police to file an FIR against him on the charge of promoting enmity and hatred.
After drawing severe condemnation, Mr. Shah expressed regret and said that he respects Col. Qureshi more than his sister.
The top court on Monday (July 28, 2025) also questioned the apology issued by the minister and said that the word 'apology' has a meaning. The court refused to accept the apology and ordered the state government to form an SIT to investigate the matter.
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Indian Express
14 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Sukhoi-30-launched Brahmos was the primary offensive weapon in Op Sindoor: DRDO chief
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First Post
14 minutes ago
- First Post
Operation Sindoor was a declaration of India's self-reliance in defence, exports to double in three years: DRDO chief
Operation Sindoor showcased India's self-reliance and tech strength, said DRDO chief Samir Kamat. It used indigenous systems like Akash missiles and BrahMos. Defence exports may double in next 2-3 years, he said. read more Operation Sindoor was a 'declaration' of India's ability to stand tall through self-reliance, strategic foresight, and indigenous technological strength, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Samir Kamat said on Saturday. Speaking at the 14th convocation of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) here, Kamat said the highly coordinated, multi-dimensional operation along the western borders highlighted not just the courage of the soldiers, but also the technological backbone that supported them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD After Operation Sindoor's success, he expects India's defence exports to double in the next two to three years, he said. 'Operation Sindoor was more than a mission. It was a declaration of India's ability to stand tall through self-reliance, strategic foresight, and indigenous technological strength. It was a statement to the world that India has the capability to protect its borders through homegrown technology,' the DRDO chief said. From sensors, unmanned platforms and secure communications to AI-based decision support systems and precision weapons, indigenous platforms played a key role in the operation, he said. The systems deployed for the operation included Akash surface-to-air missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, the D4 anti-drone system, the AWNC airborne early warning and control system and the Akashteer system, all developed by India's defence R&D ecosystem. Institutions such as the DIAT played a crucial role in these developments, Kamat noted. 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STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Their knowledge in quantum technologies, cybersecurity, robotics, materials engineering, missile systems, missile propulsion, and artificial intelligence has direct implications for national defence, he told the graduating DIAT students. 'You are not generalists. You are specialists trained at the intersection of science and defence technologies. Few institutions globally possess such clarity of purpose, and fewer still match the urgency and national significance of your work. As the world becomes more geopolitically unstable and as technology rapidly transforms the nature of both threats and opportunities, the burden and privilege of responsibility will fall on you,' he said. Speaking to reporters later, Kamat said among offensive weapons, BrahMos, used from Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, was the primary weapon during Operation Sindoor. 'When it comes to defensive weapon systems, the Akash system, the D4 anti-drone system, and the Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) were used. All the sensors we deployed were networked with Akashteer, an AI-based system, which helped identify threats and then deploy the right kind of weapon to neutralise them,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Radars used by the Indian armed forces performed exceedingly well, Kamat noted. Given the current geopolitical situation, it is absolutely essential to have our own capabilities, and only then the country can take sovereign decisions, said the DRDO chief. 'It is essential that in all critical weapon systems and technologies, we should have indigenous capabilities,' he said. Asked about the increase in defence exports post Operation Sindoor, Kamat said last year India achieved about Rs 23,000 crore in defence exports. 'Post the success of Operation Sindoor, I expect these exports to double in the next two to three years. We should achieve Rs 50,000 crore by 2029, which is the target set for us by the Defence Minister. There is a lot of interest in Pinaka, ATAGS, BrahMos, and Akash. I am sure that in the coming years, defence exports will increase manifold,' he said. Countries from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa are importing arms from India, Kamat said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On the BrahMos-NG (Next Generation), he said it is a smaller version of BrahMos that can be fitted on multiple platforms. 'Currently, BrahMos can be fitted only on the Sukhoi platform, but if we make it smaller, it can fit on other platforms as well. We are planning to start the development of BrahMos-NG soon,' he said. During the convocation ceremony, degrees were awarded to 298 students including 206 MTech students, 68 MSc and 24 PhD students from various disciplines. A total of 18 gold medals were awarded to students.
The Hindu
14 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Believers could be brought in to fight Hindutva ideology, says Govindan
Religious believers and all secular, progressive-minded people should be rallied against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-Bharatiya Janata Party (RSS-BJP) combine's bid to bring in a 'neo-fascist rule' in the country, Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State secretary M.V. Govindan has said. He was opening a seminar on 'Theocratic state: In India and abroad', organised by the Keluettan Centre for Study and Research, Kozhikode, on Saturday (August 9). Mr. Govindan claimed that the country had not yet gone into a 'completely militaristic and fascist rule'. 'We are under a partially militaristic administration. The Union government has taken control of all independent constitutional institutions such as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Enforcement Directorate, and the Central Bureau of Investigation. Even a section of the judiciary has been compromised. Now, Bharatiya Janata Party spokespersons are being nominated as judges,' he said. Mr. Govindan claimed that if the country moved towards a fully 'militaristic administration', it would pave the way for 'neo-fascism'. The CPI(M) leader also highlighted that apart from the RSS-BJP combine that functions under the Hindutva theocratic ideology, there were organisations such as the Jamaat-e-Islami and Church Auxiliary for Social Action, which too were divisive forces. 'These communal organisations represent various theocratic ideologies. However, if they fight with each other, that will not end up in one side winning. Their fight will only result in mutual benefit,' Mr. Govindan said. To fight such forces, the help of all religious believers, who are not communalists, should be needed, he said. Academics K.M. Seethi and A.M. Shinas presented papers on the topic.
