Channi calls Poonch terror attack ‘orchestrated’, BJP slams Congress

Former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi.

Former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Sunday alleged that the terror attack on an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir a day earlier was an “election stunt” and “orchestrated” by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to bolster its prospects in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

While campaigning in Jalandhar, Channi claimed that the BJP is known for “playing with people’s lives and armed personnel”, triggering a sharp reaction from Union minister Anurag Thakur, who sought an apology from the top Congress leadership, including former party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Corporal Vikky Pahade was killed and four IAF personnel were injured after armed terrorists attacked a convoy of the force at Lassana Top in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district. The attack came days before Poonch goes to the polls on May 25 as part of the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency.

ALSO READ | IAF soldier Vikky Pahade, killed in Poonch attack, was to visit home for son’s birthday in 3 days

“It was an election stunt by the BJP. These are all stunts and not terrorist attacks,” Channi said in Jalandhar.

He added that such attacks are a part of BJP’s strategy to win the elections. “Such attacks are premeditated to bolster the BJP’s electoral prospects and the BJP is known for these in the past. The BJP is known for playing with the people’s lives and bodies of the armed personnel,” he said.

“The BJP is preparing a ground to win the elections by orchestrating such attacks,” he added.

Taking strong exception to Channi’s remarks, Thakur said: “I have a question for Congress: Were the 1962, 1965, and 1971 wars done for winning elections? On such a ridiculous statement, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should apologise…They question the ability of our forces…How low will the Congress stoop? Will the Congress insult our bravehearts for the sake of winning elections?”

ALSO READ | Search ops launched at Poonch attack site

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said: “Resorting to such statements on terror attacks shows the mentality of the Congress as Channi was not only a former chief minister but is also a face of the party in Punjab.”

Jakhar said that such remarks are also an insult to the armed forces.

“The Congress must clear its stand and must take action against Channi and show him the door. Even the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) should come forward and share its views on the matter,” he said.

In a post later on X, Jakhar said Channi’s remarks are “no less than a crime and an insult to the nation”.

“Channi’s shameful statement on the attack on our air force personnel in Poonch, calling their valour as a stunt, shows his bankruptcy and frustration. The nation will not forgive him. He should hang his head in shame. The Congress and its allies should come clean on this issue. They should publicly disassociate itselves from his statement and ask him to apologise to the nation immediately,” he wrote on the microblogging site.

Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring was not available for a comment.

Meanwhile, the operation to track down the terrorists behind the attack on the IAF convoy entered its second day on Sunday. The terrorists are believed to have fled into a forest after the attack, officials aware of the details said.

Read more news like this on HindustanTimes.com