Questioning the government on action taken against perpetrators of the Pahalgam massacre by Punjab Congress MP and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi fuelled strong reactions from members of the BJP, including MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa, National General Secretary Tarun Chughand, National Spokesperson of the party, Shehzad Poonawala. Channi later backtracked and said his party stood by its armed forces and people.
While speaking at a press conference of the Congress Working Committee, Channi had sought proof of the surgical strikes conducted by India in Pakistan after the 2019 attack in Pulwama on Indian security personnel. “The government even then boasted of action but we have never seen where in Pakistan the strikes were done and where people were killed. If someone hurled a bomb in the country, won’t people know? They claim to have conducted surgical strikes against Pakistan but nothing had happened. Surgical strikes were not seen anywhere and no one knew about them”. He also added that people were waiting for action on the perpetrators of the Pahalgam massacre last month that left 26 dead.
“Ten days have gone by but no action has been taken by the government. We demand that the government take steps and the entire country is awaiting to witness what action it takes against Pakistan. People are waiting for the 56-inch chest as to when will it act. We demand that the government act fast and give results,” he said, adding that annulling visas of Pakistani nationals and putting the Indus Water Treaty on hold have no meaning.
Members of the ruling BJP were quick to react to Channi’s criticism, with Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa terming it as “dirty mentality of the Gandhi family” and Shehzaad Poonawala calling Congress a “Pakistan Prast Party”.
“The Congress has again raised questions on the Indian Air Force. Former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi has once again said he does not believe in the surgical strike, and he wants proof of the surgical strike. What kind of mentality is this of the Congress party, the Gandhi family, Rahul Gandhi, that they keep questioning the army, the Indian Air Force?”Sirsa said.
Clarifying his stance, Channi responded to the ire of his political opponents with an appeal for justice for the victims of the attack. “I have said earlier also that the Congress party, in this hour of grief, is standing by the government. If the government disrupts their (Pakistan’s) water supply, air or whatever action it takes, we are standing like a rock with it. We do not ask for proof and no evidence has been sought for it (surgical strikes). The question today is that we want justice for the families of the victims and the country. We are standing with the government,” he said.
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