Bhopal
The Madhya Pradesh Assembly's Monsoon Session turned stormy on its fifth day as Congress MLAs demanded the resignation of Tribal Welfare Minister Vijay Shah. The demand followed Shah’s controversial comment allegedly linking Army officer Colonel Sofia Qureshi to terrorists.
As Shah entered the Assembly, Congress MLA Phool Singh Baraiya asked him to step down, accusing him of disrespecting the armed forces. BJP ministers, including Kailash Vijayvargiya, opposed the demand. Shouting and protests led the Speaker to pause the session for ten minutes.
The controversy began when Shah reportedly called Colonel Qureshi a “sister of terrorists” at a public event. The High Court ordered an FIR against him, and the Supreme Court scolded him for not apologizing properly. A petition seeking his removal is under review, and a special team is investigating.
Congress members continued protests outside, urging Shah’s dismissal. Inside, the Assembly saw further clashes over other issues. Congress MLAs raised concerns about a fertiliser shortage. They carried urea sacks and nano fertiliser bottles, claiming farmers are being forced to use nano fertiliser, harming crops and soil.
Agriculture Minister Edal Singh Kanshana denied any shortage, saying distribution is well managed. Civil Supplies Minister Govind Singh Rajput accused Congress of creating fake issues.
Congress also raised concerns over ambulance services, claiming delays in patient care. Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar promised to discuss this further.
Other key issues discussed included illegal land use, crop damage, teacher transfers, elephant movement, and water shortages. MLAs from both parties highlighted problems from their regions.