Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 14 (HBTV): Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao on Saturday criticised former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi for demanding proof of the 2019 Balakot airstrike, stating that such remarks reflect Congress' questionable intentions and attempt to demoralise the armed forces.

‘This shows the mindset of Congress leaders; they try to bring down the morale of the security forces and discourage the bravery of the jawans. The truth is their intentions are not right,’ Sao told ANI.

He said that the Centre’s swift response following the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack — which killed 26 people and injured many — demonstrated the government's firm commitment to national security.

‘The kind of statement Congress is making is not right. The prompt action taken by the government is historic and revolutionary. The government's policy and intention are very clear. The government is working to teach Pakistan a lesson. The Union Home Minister has clearly said, "ek ek atankwadi ko chun chun ke marenge",’ Sao said.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader CR Kesavan also condemned Channi’s remarks about the 2019 surgical strikes, which were carried out in response to the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. He called the Congress party’s expression of sympathy for terror victims an ‘outright lie’.

He further accused Channi of casting doubt on the patriotism of the armed forces and said the Congress party was attempting to lower the morale of the military amid heightened tensions with Pakistan.

‘When Rahul Gandhi claims that Congress sympathises with victims of terror attacks, it is an outright lie. Yesterday, we saw Charanjit Singh Channi in a press conference, shamelessly suspecting the patriotism and courage of the armed forces and insulting our defence personnel. Channi's statement exposes the deepest, divisive and dangerous ideology of Congress,’ Kesavan said in a self-made video.

The controversy erupted after Channi demanded proof of the surgical strikes carried out by Indian forces in Pakistani territory under the BJP-led central government. Casting doubt over the operation, Channi said he had never seen any evidence confirming the strikes.

‘To date, I could not find where the (surgical) strike took place, where men were killed at that time, and where this happened in Pakistan. Will we not find out if a bomb is dropped in our country? They say that they did a surgical strike in Pakistan. Nothing had happened. Nowhere was a surgical strike seen. Nobody came to know...I have always demanded (proof). But today, people's wounds need to be tended to. We demand that the government do something. Tell people who they (perpetrators of the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack) are and punish them,’ Channi said at a press conference.

(ANI)