Where Is The Proof?: Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi Questions Surgical Strike; BJP Hits Back

Congress MP and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has triggered a controversy after asking for proof of the surgical strikes by the Indian Army in the past in Pakistan territory.

What Channi Said?

Speaking at a press conference after the Congress Working Committee meeting on Friday, Channi demanded the government take concrete steps against Pakistan in view of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. He claimed that the whole nation is what action the BJP government will take after the April 22 incident that killed 26 civilians.

"People are waiting for the so-called 56-inch chest to act. We want the government to respond swiftly and deliver results," Hindustan Times quoted the former Punjab CM as saying. He then questioned the past surgical strikes done by the Indian armed forces.

"But we have never seen where in Pakistan the strikes were done and where people were killed. If someone threw a bomb in our country, will people not know? They claim to have conducted surgical strikes against Pakistan but nothing had happened. Surgical strikes were not seen anywhere and no one knew about them," Channi questioned. He also slammed the government's action to cancell the visas of the Pakistani nationals and the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty.

BJP Hits Back

Reacting to the Congress MP's comments, Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that Channi's remarks reflect the "dirty mentality of the Gandhi family". "Congress has again raised questions on the Indian Air Force. Former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi has once again said that he does not believe in the surgical strike, and he wants proof of the surgical strike. What kind of mentality is this of the Congress party, the Gandhi family, Rahul Gandhi, that they keep questioning the army, the Indian Air Force?" ANI quoted Sirsa as saying.

"Pakistan itself is saying that India has caused a lot of damage by conducting surgical strikes ... Charanjit Singh Channi has again shown the dirty politics and dirty mentality of the Gandhi family, who always question the army and demoralise the forces. I condemn this," he added.

BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took a dig at the grand old party, saying that the party has become "Pakistan Prast Party."

BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan slammed the Congress and accused Channi of insulting the armed forces. He commented: "Now, he insults the armed forces again, saying they (the Army) said that we did a surgical strike on Pakistan, but nobody saw it."

Channi Backtracks

Later, Channi said that the Congress party is with the Centre and backtracked on his comments. "I have said earlier also that the Congress party, in this hour of grief, is standing by the government. If the government disrupts their (Pakistan's) water supply, air or whatever action it takes, we are standing like a rock with it," he said.