"Request Centre to not politicize it...": Charanjit Singh Channi over his remarks on Poonch attack

Jalandhar (Punjab) [India], May 6 (ANI): Amidst a controversy over his statement about recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch, former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi said on Monday that he did not speak anything against soldiers but was speaking and criticizing the attackers.
Channi told ANI that he didn't want the matter to be politicized and also urged the Central government not to do so.
"We are proud of the soldiers and they protect us. We pay our respect to them. We condemn the attacks that happen during elections. I condemned the earlier Pulwama attack and also condemned the recent attack as well. I request the Central government that this should not be politicised, neither do I want to do it," he said.
"I respect the Bravehearts who laid down their lives and their family members. I am talking about those who attack and orchestrate it. I criticize them. I did not speak anything against them (soldiers). I want to tell the government not to talk about anything, but to tell the truth, why are our soldiers attacked? Why doesn't the intelligence cover it?" Channi added.
Earlier today, releasing a video the Congress leader said that his statement was "distorted."
Channi said that he intended to point out that a "similar attack" took place during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections referring to the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed by terrorists.
"My statement was distorted. What I meant to say was that a similar attack had taken place during the last Lok Sabha elections also. But it was not investigated by BJP and till now it is not known who was involved in the said attack," Channi said in a self-made video released today after his remarks stirred a controversy.
The alleged remarks by the BJP leader gained sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa said that his statement is not in "favour of nationalism" and the country, adding that one should refrain from making such statements.
Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat Piyush Goyal slammed Charanjit Channi over his remark on Poonch attack and said that our jawans who sacrifice their lives for our safety, Congress do not desist from doing politics on them also.
Dormer deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Kavinder Gupta said on Monday that Channi can say whatever he wants but people know that peace prevailing in J-K today is due to the Jawans and security agencies. (ANI)