Poonch attack: After Channi, another Congress leader questions BJP's role
Punjab unit president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has raised questions about the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s involvement in the recent Poonch terror attack on Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel. "There is nothing new... The BJP can do anything during elections," Warring said on Tuesday. This statement came after former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi was chastised for calling the attack on the IAF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch area an "election stunt" to benefit the saffron party.
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Warrning drew parallels between the recent Poonch attack with the 2019 Pulwama attack, which he claimed still "remains a mystery." The Pulwama attack, which occurred before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, was followed by counterattacks from the IAF within Pakistan's borders. The BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, subsequently won another term in that election. The opposition has repeatedly alleged that the BJP administration allowed the attack to secure electoral advantages, a claim vehemently denied by the BJP.
Poonch attack sparks fresh controversy amid elections
On May 4, terrorists opened fire on an IAF convoy, which was moving toward Sanai Top in Poonch's Surankote area. One IAF soldier was killed in the attack. Following this event, former Punjab CM Channi accused the BJP administration of orchestrating stunts for electoral benefits. "Whenever elections are near, such stunts are staged to benefit the BJP. There is no truth to it," he said, while addressing a question on Poonch attack in Jalandhar.
Channi clarifies 'stunt' remark on Poonch terror attack
However, Channi later clarified his statement, expressing admiration for soldiers who enlist in the armed forces. "I made a statement that in the last parliamentary elections, 40 jawans were attacked and lost their lives. To date, the government has not identified the perpetrators responsible for these attacks," Channi said. "I want to ask the government....why are they not being brought to book? Why does intelligence fail? Your former governor Satyapal Malik had...warned that such attacks could happen again," he said.
