'This is treason': BJP blasts Charanjit Singh Channi for calling Poonch attack a 'poll stunt'

J&K's former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Nirmal Singh on Sunday blasted Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi for calling the terrorist attack in Poonch a 'poll stunt'. "It is very shocking that a former chief minister is saying this. This comes under treason, he has made a mockery of the martyrdom of a Jawan," Singh said while speaking to India Today.      

The BJP leader said that Channi is from Punjab. He asked whether all those attacks that Pakistan carried out in Punjab were done by Congress. "1947 attack on India, 1965, 1971, 1999 - was that the handiwork of Congress? At least three wars were fought when Congress was in power," he said. Singh said the Congress leaders are so low that they question the valour and integrity of the armed forces.    

On Saturday, terrorists ambushed a convoy of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch. A soldier was killed and four were injured in the attack. The attack on the convoy took place near Shahsitar in the Surankote area around 6.15 pm when the troops were returning to their base at Sanai Top.

Today, former Punjab Chief Minister Channi said this was "stuntbaazi". "When elections come, such stunts are done to make the BJP win. These are pre-planned attacks, there is no truth in them," he claimed. 

Speaking to India Today, Lt General S Kulkarni said this statement was "very unfortunate". He said the former chief minister of a state, which is adjoining Pakistan, calling this a "pre-planned attack is absolutely shameful". "It is impossible (to orchestrate). Who would orchestrate such a thing. it is impossible. Even to think like this is demeaning," he said. 

"I will convey to all that don't play with the lives of people of armed forces. They are doing their job, let them do it. There are people here in the country who are sympathetic to them. Pakistan does what it does, Pakistan is our enemy. Therefore, Pakistan will do what it is doing, it has nothing to do with elections," Kulkarni said.