Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi issued a clarification on Monday regarding his purported statements concerning the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch, asserting that his remarks were “distorted.” Channi clarified that he intended to draw attention to a “similar attack” occurring during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, referencing the Pulwama terror attack where 40 CRPF personnel were killed by terrorists.
In a self-made video released in response to the controversy sparked by his remarks, Channi expressed that his statement was misinterpreted, emphasizing that his intention was to highlight the lack of investigation into the previous attack by the BJP-led government. He accused Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar of inconsistency, alleging that Jakhar had previously called for Prime Minister Modi’s resignation after the 2019 attack, indicating a lack of coherent stance.
Channi further criticized the BJP, accusing them of politicizing the deaths of soldiers and turning them into a spectacle for electoral gain. He raised questions about the government’s failure to apprehend those responsible for past attacks and the recurring intelligence lapses leading to such incidents.
The former CM’s comments came in the wake of heightened tensions following the recent terror attack in Poonch, which resulted in the death of an Indian Air Force officer and injuries to four others. Channi’s earlier assertion that the attack was “pre-planned” and aimed at facilitating BJP’s electoral success drew strong reactions, with Union Minister Anurag Thakur demanding apologies from top Congress leaders, including former party president Sonia Gandhi.
As security measures intensify in the Poonch district and with ongoing voting in Jammu and Kashmir conducted in phases, the political rhetoric surrounding the attack underscores the sensitive nature of security issues in the region amid electoral contests.
