Bhopal — The controversy surrounding Colonel Sophia Qureshi escalated further as Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati strongly condemned the derogatory remarks made by Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Vijay Shah. The minister had referred to Colonel Qureshi as a “sister of terrorists,” sparking outrage across the country, reported the Roznamakhabrein.
Reacting to the statement, the Shankaracharya criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stating, “What was hidden in their hearts has now come out in the open. The BJP has been selectively targeting Muslims for a long time.” He further accused the party of maintaining double standards, saying, “The same party that strategically includes Muslim spokespersons also harbors deep prejudice against them.”
Swami Avimukteshwaranand remarked that if the Indian Army has entrusted someone like Colonel Sophia Qureshi with a position of responsibility, it must have done so with full faith in her capability and patriotism. “Making such offensive statements against a decorated officer is not just an insult to her, but also to the armed forces,” he said. “This has become a pattern — the party praises and condemns in the same breath. This is their politics.”
Commenting on the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, the Shankaracharya expressed disappointment. He said, “Several provinces in Pakistan were witnessing internal military conflicts. The entire country was hoping for a decisive response from India that Pakistan could never forget. This was a rare opportunity — and we let it go.”
The Indian Army had launched Operation Sindoor in retaliation for a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. Following the operation, tensions between India and Pakistan heightened, with Pakistan attempting to retaliate through attacks in multiple cities. However, all of Pakistan’s offensives were thwarted successfully by Indian forces.
