Ex-chief minister of Punjab and Jalandhar candidate for the Congress, Charanjit Singh Channi, claimed that the recent assault on an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, was “pre-planned”, calling it a stunt by the BJP government to win the ongoing Lok Sabha election.

The Congress leader said, “This is stuntbaazi. And not the (terror) attacks. When elections come, such stunts are done to make the BJP win. These are pre-planned attacks, there is no truth in them...”

Attacking the central government, Channi alleged, “To kill people and to play with their bodies....BJP knows it…”

In 2019, the Opposition had notably accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of exploiting the Pulwama attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, to secure victory in that year's general elections. The Congress party had also cast doubt on the validity of the airstrikes carried out in Pakistan's Balakot.

Union minister Anurag Thakur who was in Punjab on Sunday condemned Channi's statement and demanded an apology from top Congress leadership. "I have a question for Congress: Were the 1962, 1965, and 1971 wars done for winning elections? On such a ridiculous statement, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should apologise...They question the ability of our forces...How low will Congress stoop? Will Congress insult our Bravehearts for the sake of winning elections?" Anurag Thakur said.

On Saturday, a group of terrorists ambushed an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in the Poonch region of Jammu and Kashmir. The attack left five officials injured, and tragically, one IAF soldier passed away later in the day due to his injuries.

The Indian Air Force on Sunday mourned the death of Corporal Vikki Pahade, who died after sustaining major injuries in the Poonch terrorist attack.

IAF wrote on its official X account, “The CAS Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and all personnel of (the) Indian Air Force salute the braveheart Corporal Vikky Pahade, who made the supreme sacrifice in (the) Poonch Sector, in the service of the nation. Our deepest condolences to the bereaved family. We stand firmly by your side in this hour of grief.”

The Indian Air Force (IAF) along with other security forces in the region are conducting a manhunt to arrest the terrorists responsible for the attack. Security measures remain heightened in Poonch, with thorough inspections of all vehicles being conducted.

The attack on the IAF convoy comes days before the Lok Sabha elections in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat. The elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held in five phases from April 19 to May 20.

Image source: ANI