Every word uttered by a minister has to be with a sense of responsibility at a time the country is undergoing ‘such a situation’, the Supreme Court said as it reprimanded Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah who is facing an FIR for his remarks targeting Col Sofiya Qureshi.
“What sort of statements are you making? You are a responsible minister of the government,” Chief Justice B R Gavai told Shah’s counsel.
PTI reported that the bench, also comprising Justice Augustine George Masih, said the apex court would on Friday hear Shah’s plea challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s May 14 order directing an FIR against him for the comments.
“When this country is undergoing such a situation, every sentence or word uttered by a responsible minister has to be with a sense of responsibility,” the CJI told Shah’s counsel.
The bench went on, “Persons holding such a constitutional office are expected to exercise a degree of restraint.”
Senior advocate Vibha Datta Makhija, appearing for Shah, mentioned the matter for urgent listing and said the high court had taken suo motu cognisance and asked for registration of an FIR.
Later in the day, another lawyer mentioned before the bench a separate letter petition which has sought action against Shah for his remarks against Colonel Qureshi.
“We don’t want these publicity litigations. Anybody reads newspaper and file such petitions,” the bench said.
The bench said the Madhya Pradesh High Court already took cognisance of the matter.
