Govt followed court orders, will continue to do so: MP CM on row over minister Vijay Shah's remarks
Bhopal (PTI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said his government has followed court orders and will continue to do so over his minister Vijay Shah’s objectionable remarks aimed at Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
The CM’s statement comes amid growing demand for the resignation of Shah, the tribal affairs minister.
The Congress has no moral right to demand minister Shah's resignation, he said, adding that the opposition party should first ask Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to step down from the post.
“Whatever order the judiciary has given, our government has followed it. Whatever the court says, we will continue to act accordingly,” Yadav told reporters on the sidelines of the Tiranga Yatra launched by the BJP from Roshanpura Square here.
When asked about Congress demanding Shah’s resignation, he said, “Congress will continue to do so. The party should demand (resignation) from (Karnataka CM) Siddaramaiah.”
“Congress can only talk. Congress's conduct is that it supported (former Delhi CM Arvind) Kejriwal step by step, even though he went to jail while being the chief minister. Where was Congress at that time? Congress does not even have the right to speak. No one has crossed the limits of shamelessness so much as Congress has done,” he said.
Shah had made the controversial statements during a public event in a rural area in Indore district on Monday without naming Qureshi. Through his comments, Shah tried to present Colonel Sofia as the “sister of terrorists”.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the remarks, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday ordered registration of an FIR against him.
Following the court order, an FIR was registered against Shah in Indore district on Wednesday night.
Ever since the controversy erupted, the Congress has been demanding Shah's resignation.
Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and veteran BJP leader Uma Bharti has also demanded Shah’s immediate dismissal from the cabinet.
Col Qureshi gained nationwide prominence after she shared details of ‘Operation Sindoor’, launched by the Indian armed forces, at press conferences along with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.
After a huge controversy arose over his statement, Shah said if anyone was hurt, he was ready to apologise ten times. He also said that he respected Colonel Qureshi more than he respected his sister.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
