Days after a Madhya Pradesh minister put the BJP in a spot by referring to Col Sofiya Qureshi as the “sister of terrorists”, the state’s Deputy Chief Minister has courted controversy with his statement that the Indian Army is bowing at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s feet.
Deputy CM Jagdish Devda was speaking at a training session for civil defence volunteers in Jabalpur on Friday. He told the audience, “Pradhanmantri ji ko bhi dhanyawad dena chahenge, aur pura desh, desh ki wo sena, wo sainik, unke charno mein natmastak hain. Unke charno mein pura desh natmastak hai. Unhone jo jawab diya hai (We would also like to thank the Prime Minister; the entire country, the country’s Army, its soldiers are bowing at his feet. The entire country is bowing at his feet. For the retaliatory response).”
Under fire later, he said, “The Congress is presenting it in the wrong way. My statement has been altered and is being presented in the wrong way.”
“I said that the country’s military has done tremendous work in Operation Sindoor, and the people of the country bow to the Indian military. Those who are conspiring should face strict action. What I meant was, ‘desh ki janta Bharat ki sena ke charnon me natmastak hai’ because they protect us and the country. The Congress is speaking from a state of distress; they should look in the mirror to see the state they are in,” he said.
Congress leader and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the “constant insult of our Army by BJP leaders is extremely shameful and unfortunate.”
“First, a minister of Madhya Pradesh made an indecent comment on women soldiers, and now their Deputy Chief Minister has grossly insulted the Army. The people of the entire country are proud of the valour of the Army, but people from the BJP are insulting the Army. Instead of taking action against these leaders, the BJP is putting all its efforts to save them,” Priyanka wrote on X.
Sensing an opening to attack the ruling government, the Madhya Pradesh Congress took to the streets on Friday, with several senior leaders protesting against Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah’s comments on Col Qureshi. Several senior leaders, including Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, were removed by the police during the protest.
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State Congress president Jitu Patwari announced that the party would take to the streets again over Devda’s statements too. “Mohan Yadav government’s minister Vijay Shah calls the brave Colonel of the Army a sister of terrorists, the Deputy Chief Minister describes the Army as bowing at Modi’s feet, and when the media questions the CM, he responds angrily with nonsensical answers. Instead of taking action against both ministers, the BJP is protecting them,” he said.
BJP spokesperson Ashish Aggarwal responded, “The Congress party has no respect for the country’s Army… Devda ji has said it absolutely correctly – the entire country, the country’s Army, is bowing at the feet of soldiers who have responded to Pakistan.”
Speaking in Delhi, Congress’s Chairperson for Social Media and Digital Platforms, Supriya Shrinate, said, “We demand that PM Modi immediately sack the Deputy CM. If he fails to do so, we will be forced to believe that this was said with his permission and has his patronage.”
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
