Chandigarh:
The terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch, which killed an Indian Air Force soldier, has become grist to the political mill amid the massive seven-phase elections across the country. Two opposition leaders, former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tej Pratap Yadav, have drawn a parallel with the 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) men were killed. also a “stunt” to help the BJP win.
Their comments have given the BJP a handle to attack the Congress, with Union Minister Anurag Thakur listing out the instances where the Grand Old Party has failed the armed forces.
“These are all stunts and not terrorist attacks. There's no truth in it. The BJP is playing with people's lives and bodies,” Channi said while campaigning in Jalandhar from where he is contesting.
“These attacks are not actually taking place but are only meant to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party… Whenever elections take place, such stunts are pulled – just like last time,” he added, pointing to the Pulwama attack of 2019.
In Patna, Tej Pratap Yadav followed a similar line. “Every time elections come, Pulwama and terrorist attacks take place… Our soldiers have been martyred because of Prime Minister Modi ji,” he said.
“This is a bad explanation. This reflects their mindset,” Union Minister Anurag Thakur said. “Instead of strengthening the army, they did brokerage for ten years. After Pulwama we carried out a surgical strike. These people held a hearing at 2:30 PM to stop the hanging of the accused attack by Parliament. People won't forget that. 1000 km has been taken away – Aksai Chin area, part of it has been captured by Sri Lanka,” he added.
Punjab leader Sunil Jakhar, one of those switching from Congress to BJP, also slammed Mr Channi's comment. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he said:
CWC member Channi's appalling statement belittling the bravery of our brave soldiers is no less a crime and an insult to the nation. Channi's shameful statement on the attack on our air force personnel in Poonch, calling their bravery as a stunt, shows the bankruptcy and frustration of…
— Sunil Jakhar(Modi Ka Parivar) (@sunilkjakhar) May 5, 2024
After the Pulwama attack in 2019, which took place in the run-up to the general elections, national security had become a key issue on which the polls revolved. Days after the attack, India retaliated with airstrikes on Balakot, deep within Pakistani territory.
After the BJP's victory in the elections, the opposition had raised several questions and even demanded a white paper.
But over the years, the Congress had softened its tone, wary of the BJP's claim that the party would create doubt about the armed forces.
In Saturday's terror attack on two IAF vehicles in Bakrabal (Sanai) area of Poonch, Indian Air Force Corporal Vikky Pahade was killed and four other soldiers injured.