Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government is gearing up to defend before the Supreme Court its decision not to grant sanction for the prosecution of senior cabinet minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his controversial remarks on Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
According to reports, the state government’s response is expected to be filed before the Supreme Court soon. It is being scrutinised by legal experts, the Chief Secretary and the Chief Minister’s Office.
The government is likely to argue on the basis that no individual came forward to lodge a complaint against Vijay Shah after the controversial remark. It may tell the Supreme Court that despite the political and public controversy surrounding the remarks, there was no private complainant that sought criminal action against the minister.
The state government would also argue that Shah did not mention Colonel Sofiya Qureshi by name in his remark. The government claims that the minister did not intend to insult Colonel Qureshi or any other personal through his statement. The state would also rely on Shah’s apology. Moreover, it would also highlight that the remark didn’t hurt communal harmony.
The Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had on August 25 decided against granting sanction to prosecute Shah. The recommendation was subsequently sent to Governor Mangubhai Patel. The Governor alsoapproved the Cabinet’s decision. The government will now place these arguments before the Supreme Court.