It, however, stays Shah’s arrest and orders him to join the probe

Satya Prakash Tribune News Service

Rejecting the apology by Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered an SIT probe against him over his controversial remarks against Col Sofia Qureshi – the face of India’s press briefings on ‘Operation Sindoor’.

“We are constituting an SIT with three IPS officers and one should be of the rank of IGP. All of them should be from outside the state. It’s a litmus test and we want the state to submit the SIT report to us. We would like to have a very close watch,” a Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh ordered.

It directed the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police to constitute the Special Investigation Team (SIT) by Tuesday.

The Bench, however, stayed Shah’s arrest and ordered the minister to join the probe. It also issued notice to the state of Madhya Pradesh on Shah’s petition challenging the high court’s order for registration of an FIR against him.

Asking the SIT to submit a report to it, the Bench posted the matter for May 28.

“The kind of crass comments you made, completely thoughtless…We don’t need this apology,” Justice Kant said, terming it an attempt to wriggle out of the legal consequences of his statement.

“Meanwhile, you think how you will redeem yourself…Entire nation is ashamed of… We are a country that firmly believes in the rule of law,” Justice Kant said.

“You (Shah) are a public figure…a seasoned politician. You should weigh your words when you speak. Should we display your video here?Media people are not going into depth of your video…you were at a stage where you were going to use abusive language, very filthy language…but something prevailed on you and you stopped. This is an important issue for the Armed Forces. We need to be very responsible,” the Bench said.On behalf of Shah, senior counsel Maninder Singh submitted that the minister has publicly apologised for his remarks.

“What kind of apology? What’s that apology? Sometimes people apologise to wriggle out of legal liabilities. Sometimes crocodile tears. What kind of apology is yours?” Justice Kant asked.

“The kind of crass comments you made, completely thoughtlessly. What prevented you from making a sincere attempt? We don’t require your apology. We know how to deal with it as per the law…Your apology – we are not ready to accept. It’s only to wriggle out of legal liability. We have rejected your apology. You have said “if somebody is hurt…”. You are not even ready to take responsibility,” Justice Kant said, rejecting Shah’s apology.

It also questioned the state of Madhya Pradesh for not doing enough in the matter. “People expect the state action will be fair… The High Court has done its duty, they thought suo motu action was needed. You (State of Madhya Pradesh) should have done something more by now,” the Bench noted.

Earlier, terming Shah’s controversial remarks against Col Sofia Qureshi as “irresponsible”, “unacceptable” and “insensitive”, a Bench led by CJI BR Gavai had on May 15 said persons holding constitutional positions should exercise restraint in their public utterances.

The government has not tried to identify the trolls and take action against them, nor has it publicly expressed any solidarity with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Vivek Katju

It would have been a high-level political decision for official briefings on Operation Sindoor to be led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, with the participation of Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. Misri, Qureshi and Singh were calm and professional during the briefings. They were to-the-point and faultless regarding the diplomatic and military aspects of Operation Sindoor, reflecting the firm resolve of the nation in combating terrorism at its source. All three did the country proud.

It is therefore profoundly sad that two of the three — Misri and Qureshi — have been targeted by the bigoted and the ignorant. Sections of the media, civil society, a few civil service associations, the National Commission for Women and some Opposition political parties have risen up against the vicious trolling of Misri and his daughter. At the same time, the Madhya Pradesh High Court took the strongest objection to a minister (Vijay Shah) in the MP government making a remark about Qureshi and ordered that a FIR be filed against him. Subsequently, the MP Chief Minister and the BJP state head pulled up the minister, who apologised for his remark.

But in all this time, no minister of the Union government has still uttered a word at the outrageous trolling of Misri nor the remark against Qureshi.

As a former member of the Indian Foreign Service, which Misri currently heads — as the Foreign Secretary is traditionally the head of the Foreign Service cadre of serving officers — I cannot but feel dismayed, hurt and diminished that he has been so abusively trolled. I feel all the sadder because his daughter has also been trolled. This is a new low in India’s public life. It can be argued that the trolls are ignorant but ignorance is neither a defence in law or common decency and propriety.

The ruling dispensation states that the nation is entering Amrit Kaal when it will make unprecedented progress and dharma will prevail. Will such trolling of civil servants and their families be a characteristic of Amrit Kaal and will no action be taken against the trolls? This question is not unreasonable, for the government has not only not tried to identify the trolls and take action against them, it has not even publicly expressed any solidarity with Misri.

Is this behaviour a part of the practice of the Indian political class — that it lets civil servants take the flak for policies and actions they have ordered or sanctioned and approved, but may not be liked by the public? Domestic civil service officers, now retired like me, have told me that while the Misri episode may be new for the IFS — an officer having to face intense anger for a decision he has not taken, but is only conveying to the public — it was not so for them.

These officers have told me about many personal experiences where a political leader remained silent or simply slipped away, when people were demonstrating against a decision he had taken, but was being implemented by bureaucrats. One retired civil service friend went so far as to say that a politician told him that his political colleague was in trouble, because he had stood by civil servants when the police went after them in a corruption case.

In the light of this practice, perhaps it isn’t so surprising that neither Misri nor his daughter have received any support from the ruling dispensation. But by not doing so, I wonder if the government is allowing a precedent to be set that may come to haunt it in different and unforeseen ways? Many of our children, including those of our politicians, are studying and living abroad — surely, nobody wants a new front of trolling to be opened against them.

Misri’s daughter was trolled because she had written once for The Wire, a news and opinion portal which the ruling dispensation views as hostile. She was also ‘accused’ of providing legal assistance to the Rohingya community. Now Misri’s daughter is a lawyer in her own right and lawyers assist all kinds of persons. Besides, even if her thinking is at variance with that of the government, that cannot be held against her father or the work he’s doing. Moreover, as a citizen in a functioning democracy, she has every right to have her views of her own.

In the tradition of the IFS, Misri has maintained a stoic silence. This is also in keeping with the man and his Foreign Service training honed over the experience of decades in trying assignments.

But while his junior colleagues will take heart from his conduct in this matter, some of them may feel that the least that they can expect is that the political leadership condemns the trolls. This could be, in particular, an expectation from the political head of the MEA, for he has been a professional diplomat who also served as Foreign Secretary. Can such an expectation said to be unreasonable?

Vivek Katju is former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs.

Other Congress leaders named by the government but not by the party are Salman Khurshid and Amar Singh

Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service

Even as the Congress kept its leaders guessing over its stand with respect to the government nominees in the delegations finalised for global outreach on Operation Sindoor, Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari cited a Kishore Kumar song to announce his acceptance for the tour.

After Shashi Tharoor, former minister Tewari becomes the second Congress leader who has conveyed his acknowledgment for the government invitation to be part of the group that will present the Indian position on Pakistan sponsored terror to the world.

Tewari, like Thatoor, hasn’t been nominated by the Congress, though both are on the government list.

Taking to X today, Tewari said:

“A song from the movie ‘Akraman ‘ 1975 sung by Kishore Kumar for Rajesh Khanna reminds us as how to answer the call of the nation

Even as the Congress kept its leaders guessing over its stand with respect to the government nominees in the delegations finalised for global outreach on Operation Sindoor, Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari cited a Kishore Kumar song to announce his acceptance for the tour.

After Shashi Tharoor, former minister Tewari becomes the second Congress leader who has conveyed his acknowledgment for the government invitation to be part of the group that will present the Indian position on Pakistan sponsored terror to the world.

Tewari, like Thatoor, hasn’t been nominated by the Congress, though both are on the government list.

Taking to X today, Tewari said:

“A song from the movie ‘Akraman ‘ 1975 sung by Kishore Kumar for Rajesh Khanna reminds us as how to answer the call of the nation

Maa na kahe ke mere beteDekho Veer Jawanon Apne Khoon Pe | Kishore Kumar | Aakraman 1975 Patriot….”

Tewari’s X post came hours after Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party was leaving it to the conscience of MPs who are not on the official list of the party to decide whether they would participate in the government outreach.

Last night though Jairam had in a statement said the MPs would “of course go.”

Other Congress leaders named by the government but not by the party are Salman Khurshid and Amar Singh.They are yet to formally announce their decision on whether they will travel.

Anand Sharma is the only official Congress nominee the government has included in its delegation. The other three Congress nominees are Gaurav Gogoi, Nasir Hussain and Raja Brar.

These three have not found a place in government panels.

Dekho Veer Jawanon Apne Khoon Pe | Kishore Kumar | Aakraman 1975 Patriot….”

Tewari’s X post came hours after Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party was leaving it to the conscience of MPs who are not on the official list of the party to decide whether they would participate in the government outreach.

Last night though Jairam had in a statement said the MPs would “of course go.”

Other Congress leaders named by the government but not by the party are Salman Khurshid and Amar Singh.They are yet to formally announce their decision on whether they will travel.

Anand Sharma is the only official Congress nominee the government has included in its delegation. The other three Congress nominees are Gaurav Gogoi, Nasir Hussain and Raja Brar.

These three have not found a place in government panels.

The apex court takes note of submissions by Kapil Sibal, agrees to hear plea in next 2 days

Satya Prakash Tribune News Service

Arrested for “endangering India’s sovereignty, unity and integrity” by his alleged comments on Operation Sindoor, Ashoka University associate professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging his arrest.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned his petition before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai for urgent hearing.The CJI agreed to take up the matter on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The professor was arrested on Sunday after two FIRs were lodged against him.

The Haryana State Commission for Women had recently sent a notice to him questioning his remarks.

Mahmudabad had said that his remarks were “misunderstood”.

Related news: Opposition parties condemn Ashoka University professor’s arrest over posts on Op Sindoor

Ashoka varsity’s assistant prof held over Op Sindoor remarks

4,000 volunteers have been identified for the initiative

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has approved a proposal for deploying former military personnel to safeguard vital infrastructure across the Union Territory, an official said on Saturday.

Terming it a unique collaboration between veterans and civil authorities, the official said 4,000 ex-servicemen volunteers have been identified for the initiative, and their role is “non-combatant”, focusing on static guard duties, presence-based deterrence, and local coordination.

“In a major step towards strengthening community-based security and harnessing the capabilities of former military personnel, the Sainik Welfare Board of Jammu and Kashmir had moved a proposal for mobilising Ex-Servicemen (ESM) to safeguard vital infrastructure across the Union Territory.

“This proposal has now been formally approved by the Jammu and Kashmir government, setting the stage for a unique collaboration between veterans and civil authorities,” officials said here.

According to the approved plan, 4,000 ex-servicemen have been identified, and among them, 435 possess licensed personal weapons, significantly enhancing the capacity to respond effectively to localised security situations, the official said.

“The ex-servicemen will be employed for the protection of critical infrastructure in all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including power stations, bridges, government installations, and other vulnerable points,” he said.

The initiative builds upon the previous success during the Covid pandemic, where 2,500 ex-servicemen volunteered to support the administration. The increase to 4,000 reflects both the growing spirit of service among veterans and the trust reposed in them by the government and local populace.

As outlined in the proposal, these volunteers will serve under the overall coordination of the respective District Sainik Welfare Officers. They will function in close coordination with the district administration and local police.

“Uniforms and basic equipment will be provided through the Sainik Welfare Board with administrative support from district authorities, while training and orientation programmes are being planned to ensure standardised conduct and efficiency,” the official said.

This initiative not only utilises the discipline, experience, and commitment of the ESM community but also represents a model of inclusive and participatory security, they said.

Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) made the announcement as apparently normalcy returns to the country after the raging tension with India seems to be ending

Pakistan announced on Saturday that it was opening its airspace for all kinds of traffic, shortly after the announcement of a ceasefire with India.

Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) made the announcement as apparently normalcy returns to the country after the raging tension with India seems to be ending.

“All airports in the country are available for normal flight operations. Passengers are requested to contact the relevant airline for the latest schedule of their flights,” the PAA said.

It also said that Pakistan’s airspace has been fully restored for all types of flights, and all airports in the country are available for normal flight operations.

Pakistan’s airspace remained closed for a certain duration and routes due to the tension with India, which hampered regular air traffic, resulting in inconvenience for passengers.

The decision to open airspace showed that clouds on the horizon of Pakistan and India are lifting.

As strikes and counter-strikes by drones and missiles as well as small arms and artillery continue between India and Pakistan along the entire western front and a tense atmosphere prevails, the Central government has authorised Chief of the Army Staff…

As strikes and counter-strikes by drones and missiles as well as small arms and artillery continue between India and Pakistan along the entire western front and a tense atmosphere prevails, the Central government has authorised Chief of the Army Staff to mobilise the entire Territorial Army (TA) for deployment in support of the regular Army.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of the Indian Armed Forces carrying out Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday briefed a parliamentary committee on the India-Pakistan military conflict in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.

The meeting of Parliament’s Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, was attended by members, including the TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, the Congress’ Rajeev Shukla and Deepender Hooda, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and the BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi and Arun Govil.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of the Indian Armed Forces carrying out Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent military actions between the two countries.

India and Pakistan reached an understanding on halting all military actions on May 10.

Misri is briefing the panel on the “current foreign policy developments regarding India and Pakistan” on Monday and Tuesday.

The government has decided to send all-party delegations to 33 global capitals to brief leaders on India’s resolve to firmly deal with terrorism against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor.

It is alleged that Jyoti had traveled to several sensitive and strategically important locations in Jammu and Kashmir shortly before a terrorist attack in Pahalgam

Deepender Deswal Tribune News Service

The Instagram account of a YouTuber from Hisar, Jyoti Malhotra, has been blocked following serious allegations of spying for Pakistan.

Jyoti is in police custody for five days after the Hisar police booked her under various sections of the BNS and the Official Secrets Act.

It is alleged that she had traveled to several sensitive and strategically important locations in Jammu and Kashmir shortly before a terrorist attack in Pahalgam.Her YouTube videos show visits to high-security areas including Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Dal Lake, and Pangong Lake, which lies near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, the police sources said.

They added that these visits, made in 2024 and again on January 5, 2025, have alerted the intelligence agencies, and she was on their radar ever since.

Hisar police searched her residence and seized several documents.

The sources said that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to interrogate her soon regarding possible terror links.According to Hisar SP Shashank Kumar Sawan, Jyoti had traveled to Pakistan shortly before the recent terror attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir.

She was allegedly being groomed by Pakistani intelligence agencies to act as an asset. During her visit, she met an individual named Danish.

The FIR claims that Jyoti exchanged sensitive information with Pakistani handlers, posing a grave threat to India’s national security.Jyoti has now been booked under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

Police conduct searches at house | Jyoti in police custody

Deepender Deswal Tribune News Service

Claiming that his daughter is innocent, Harish, the father of suspected spy Jyoti Malhotra, said that a police team arrived at their residence on Thursday to conduct a search and confiscated several items, including mobile phones.

“The police have been visiting our house for the past few days and conducted searches during each visit. This time, the team consisted of six officers, including two women and a cameraperson. They took away Jyoti’s laptop and phone, besides the phones belonging to me and my brother. They also took our bank documents,” Harish said.

He mentioned that he spoke to Jyoti, who denied any wrongdoing. “She says she is being implicated. She claims she had official permission to visit Pakistan and might have stayed with someone there or communicated with them. But I don’t know the people she may have been in contact with in Pakistan,” he said.

A graduate, Jyoti had been supporting the family by contributing around Rs 10,000, he said. Earlier, Jyoti was working in Delhi on a salary of Rs 20,000, but returned to Hisar during the lockdown and started making YouTube videos.

Meanwhile, Hisar DSP Kamaljeet Singh has confirmed that some suspicious items were seized from Jyoti’s possession. She has been booked under relevant Sections and has been taken into five-day police custody.