New Delhi, May 9 -- The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up Madhya Pradesh minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his remarks against Colonel Sophiya Qureshi during Operation Sindoor terming it "most unfortunate" and "without remorse" and directed the state government to clear its stand on granting sanction for probing the criminal case within two weeks. The court noted that on January 19, it had asked the state to take a call on granting the sanction against the minister. On Friday, the state informed that a decision in this regard is still pending. While terming the remarks "unfortunate", the state said it was never meant to demean the officer but to praise her. The bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi said, "What he said was most unfortunate and he had no sense of remorse." The court further noted his conduct after making the statement was equally noteworthy as he was not apologetic. Shah came under fire for his remarks made during a public address in Indore, where he alluded to Colonel Qureshi by saying, "Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson." The court took serious note of the statement's timing, made just after Operation Sindoor, India's military strikes on terror targets in Pakistan last year. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta appearing for the state said, "What he said was unfortunate. Though I am not defending him, possibly he wanted to praise the officer. This could be a possible view. He could not articulate it properly and for which he later apologised." The bench refused to accept the suggestion. CJI remarked, "We know political personalities when they have to praise someone, what words they use. If at all he felt it was a mistake, he should have apologised."...