"Why perpetrators of Pulwama attack not been caught yet?": Former Punjab CM Charanjit Channi attacks BJP

Jalandhar (Punjab) [India], May 19 : Former Chief Minister of Punjab and Congress candidate from the Jalandhar parliamentary seat, Charanjit Singh Channi, criticized the BJP for not catching the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack, where 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
"We are our soldiers supporters, and they are being attacked and killed, and they (the BJP) are calling us their opponents. I want to ask them (the BJP) why the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack, where 40 CRPF personnel were killed, have not been caught yet. What has the government been doing for five years, and they are calling us opponents? They (the BJP) have brought laws for four years (the Agnipath Scheme); what will they do for the soldiers when they come back after 4 years? They (BJP) are destroying the future of the youth," Channi said.
Channi's remarks come in the wake of a press conference held today alongside retired soldiers, where he clarified his statements, asserting his unwavering support for the armed forces.
He addressed concerns over his previous comments regarding the Poonch terror attack, stating that his intention was not to undermine the sacrifices of soldiers but to raise legitimate questions regarding the incident's circumstances.
Earlier on May 5, former Chief Minister of Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi alleged that the Poonch terror attack was "pre-planned" and said such "stuntbaazi" was done to make the BJP win the elections.
This led to increased difficulties for Channi, and the Punjab Election Commission sent a report to the Election Commission of India recommending action against him.
Meanwhile, an Indian Air Force (IAF) soldier was killed and four others were injured in the terror attack in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on May 4 evening.
"My family and I have always stood with military families, and we respect them deeply. I was with the soldiers before, and I am still with them now. When I was the Chief Minister, two soldiers from our Ropar district were martyred, and I participated in their funerals, carrying their coffins. I provided more assistance to the families of the martyred soldiers than the government did," Channi said.
"My statement was misrepresented, and it hurt the soldiers, making them feel that Channi spoke against them. But I want to tell my soldier brothers that I have always respected them and will continue to do so," he added.
Channi emphasized his support for migrant communities, particularly in his constituency.
"I have always stood with migrant people and will continue to do so. There are many people from Bihar in my constituency who celebrate Chhath Puja. I have built a Chhath Devi temple in Morinda where migrants can worship. I have also provided a place for Chhath Puja and given grants to build a hall for it. I celebrate Holi with these people every year, and you must have seen the videos. Our family always celebrates festivals with migrant people. Migrants have significantly contributed to the development of Punjab, and today, many building contractors are migrants," Channi said.
He criticized the current government's handling of soldier welfare, alleging job losses for thousands of soldiers under the BJP-led administration.
"During the Congress government's time, the soldiers were given OROP (One Rank, One Pension), while the Jhadoo (AAP) government has disrespected the soldiers by ending their jobs and sending them back home. 57,000 soldiers have been rendered jobless. Chief Minister Bhagwan Maante must answer why they have made them unemployed," Channi said.
In Punjab, voting for its 13 seats will take place in a single phase, with the seventh and final phase on June 1 seeing voting in Ludhiana, Gurudaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala constituencies.
This year, the Lok Sabha polls began on April 19 for 102 seats spread across 21 states.
Following this, Phase 2 was held on April 26; the third phase was held on May 7; and the fourth phase was held on May 13. Phase six of the Lok Sabha polls is slated to be held on May 20 for 49 seats, while Phase 6 is set for May 25, covering 7 states for 57 seats.