In a dramatic twist following his incendiary remarks on the Poonch terror attack in which one Indian Air Force (IAF) jawan died, Punjabs former Chief Minister and Congress candidate from Jalandhar Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday took a sharp U-turn. After sparking a storm of controversy by branding the recent Poonch terror attack as stuntbaazi orchestrated to sway electoral fortunes in BJPs favour, Channi now called for a thorough investigation to unmask the real perpetrators behind the deadly ambush.   Issuing a clarification in a video message after facing severe criticism from different quarters, Channi clarified that his earlier remarks were aimed at questioning the timing of such attacks, particularly just before elections. He emphasized that the nation must scrutinize why incidents of this nature occur when the political climate is heated with election fervour.   Channis comments drew sharp criticism from BJP leaders, including Ravi Shankar Prasad and Anurag Thakur, who demanded an apology from the Congress leadership for what they termed as an insulting and deplorable statement directed towards the soldiers. Notably, Channi on Sunday had termed the terror attack an election stunt and orchestrated by the BJP to bolster its prospects in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.   Responding to the backlash, Channi defended his stance, expressing pride in the bravery and sacrifice of the countrys armed forces. Reiterating his point, Channi questioned why such attacks seem to coincide with electoral cycles and why the perpetrators are not swiftly brought to justice by the government.   We are proud of the jawans who join the armed forces and safeguard the country. My statement referred to the point that why such attacks happened just before the elections. Even before the 2019 general elections, 40 jawans lost their lives in the Pulwama attack but the Union Government has not found out who executed the attack till date. The government failed to find those responsible behind it, Channi said.   It is election time once again. Our jawans were attacked once again and one jawan lost his life. I would like to ask the government who are those people who orchestrate such attacks, why are they not brought before everyone, why does intelligence failure take place, Channi said.   The terror attack in Poonch, resulting in the tragic loss of Corporal Vikky Pahades life and injuries to four other IAF personnel, occurred just days before the constituency goes to polls on May 25 as part of the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency.   Channi also referenced Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhars previous statements during the 2019 elections, when he was in Congress, where Jakhar had demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attributing similar attacks to BJPs orchestration. He urged Jakhar to clarify his stance on these past remarks, hinting at a political double standard.   In response, Jakhar affirmed his unwavering commitment to the national security, stating that he stood by his statement given at the time of the Pulwama attack. National security is top priority for me. I had never used words like election stunt or said that the BJP orchestrated that attack, said Jakhar, emphasizing the need to expose the perpetrators behind such attacks while refraining from politicizing matters of grave national importance.   Jakhar said: Channi, who is a member of the CWC, the highest decision-making body of the Congress, has given a clean chit to terrorists who must have come from across the border. What is compulsion of a former CM to make such absurd statements?   However, Jakhar criticized Channi for what he perceived as an attempt to undermine the sacrifices of Indian soldiers, likening Channis rhetoric to that of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, known for his sympathetic stance towards anti-India elements. Jakhar speculated on Channis motivations, suggesting a desire to emulate Trudeaus political strategies, even at the expense of tarnishing Indias image on the global stage.   Bittu Slams Channis anti-national remarks   Also strongly denouncing Channis anti-national remarks, BJP candidate from Ludhiana Ravneet Singh Bittu expressed shock at his statement. He criticized Channi for lacking respect for the martyrs and losing credibility among nationalist individuals. Bittu further highlighted the absence of any action from the Congress top leadership regarding Channis statement, emphasizing the BJPs firm stance against anti-national forces. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his global respect and determination, asserting that India will emerge as a world force under his leadership, with no place for leaders like Channi in Indian politics after June 4.   SADs Cheema calls for non-partisan probe into Poonch attack   Meanwhile, former Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency Daljit Singh Cheema echoed concerns over the politicization of Poonch terror attack. He underscored the need for a thorough investigation into the matter, emphasizing that matters of national security should transcend partisan politics. Cheema also criticized the selective outrage and urged for a unified approach in addressing security challenges faced by the nation.

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