Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress candidate for the Jalandhar parliamentary constituency, Charanjit Singh Channi, sparked controversy on Sunday by labeling the Poonch terror attack, which resulted in the death of an IAF soldier and injuries to four others, as a "stunt" orchestrated to benefit the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
His comments drew swift criticism from BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who condemned Channi's statement as both appalling and disrespectful to the soldiers.
Channi made the remark while responding to inquiries about the attack on an Indian Air Force convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch region, stating, "These are all staged incidents, not genuine attacks."
He went on to allege that such incidents were strategically executed close to elections to sway favor towards the BJP, a sentiment he reiterated during his interaction in Jalandhar.
Running as the Congress candidate from the Jalandhar reserve parliamentary constituency, Channi's accusations extended to the BJP, accusing them of manipulating lives for political gains.
Meanwhile, the Poonch terror attack, which occurred just three weeks ahead of polling in the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, resulted in the loss of one soldier's life and left four others injured.
Responding to Channi's remarks, BJP leader Sirsa strongly condemned the insinuation that the soldier's sacrifice was tied to elections, branding it not only shocking but also disrespectful to the servicemen.
In a post on X, Sirsa criticized the Congress for allegedly belittling the sacrifices of soldiers, while highlighting what he perceived as mutual support between Pakistan and Rahul Gandhi, juxtaposed with Congress stance.
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