Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi issued a clarification on Monday regarding his controversial remarks on the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch, asserting that his statement was “distorted” and taken out of context.
In a self-made video released today, Channi explained that his intention was to highlight a “similar attack” that occurred during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, referring to the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives in a suicide bombing.
#WATCH | On ex-Punjab CM & Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi’s “stuntbaazi” remark for terrorist attack on IAF in Poonch, BJP leader Gourav Vallabh says “When you (Channi) moved to Canada, it is called stuntbaazi. The family of the soldier who lost their son will be cursing… pic.twitter.com/O13ABjwGfT
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2024
“My statement was distorted. What I meant to say was that a similar attack had taken place during the last Lok Sabha elections also. But it was not investigated by BJP and till now it is not known who was involved in the said attack,” Channi clarified.
Accusing Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar of inconsistency, Channi alleged that Jakhar had previously demanded the Prime Minister’s resignation following the 2019 terror attack. He criticized Jakhar for his shifting stance and questioned the government’s response to previous attacks.
Channi emphasized that the BJP was politicizing the deaths of soldiers, expressing sadness over the loss of lives while condemning the exploitation of such incidents for political gain.
“To date, the Government has not found out who executed the attack and who was responsible for it. It is election time once again. Our jawans were attacked once again and one jawan lost his life… What I am saying is that why is this being made a political stunt and used by BJP?” Channi remarked.
He further highlighted the recent death of a farmer protesting against the BJP in Patiala, accusing the party of seeking to undermine Punjab’s economy through agricultural policies.
Channi’s clarification comes after his comments on Sunday, where he alleged that the Poonch terror attack was “stuntbaazi” orchestrated to benefit the BJP in the elections. His remarks drew sharp criticism from Union Minister Anurag Thakur, who demanded an apology from top Congress leaders.
Meanwhile, security has been tightened in the Poonch district following the attack, with heightened vigilance by security forces. The ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir proceed amidst concerns over security and electoral integrity, with polling in the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency scheduled for May 7 in the third phase.
Also read: Congress Leader’s Remarks Spark Controversy Over Poonch Attack, BJP Demands Apology
