Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi has stirred a major controversy by questioning the 2016 surgical strike carried out by the Indian Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. His remarks, coming amid rising tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack, have sparked fierce criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused the Congress of undermining national security and boosting enemy morale.
During a press conference following a Congress Working Committee meeting, Channi challenged the legitimacy of the surgical strike, claiming there was no visible evidence of such an operation. He said, “They say surgical strikes were done in Pakistan, but nothing happened, no one saw anything, and nobody even knew about it.” The comments were made while he was demanding a concrete government response to the recent Pahalgam killings.
Channi further clarified that he was not questioning the authenticity of the strike itself but was highlighting the government’s failure to bring justice to the victims of the Pahalgam attack. He said the focus should be on ensuring accountability rather than diverting public attention. “We are not asking for proof of surgical strikes today, but don’t change the subject. The government must tell us who carried out this attack and punish them,” he said.
BJP Slams Congress for ‘Insulting’ Armed Forces
The BJP reacted strongly to Channi’s statement, with several leaders accusing the Congress of demoralizing the armed forces. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey called the statement shameful and wrote a poem in Hindi on social media to express his outrage. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said Channi was “speaking in the language of the enemy” and questioned his denial of well-documented attacks like the one in Uri.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused the Congress of siding with Pakistan and claimed the party has become a “Pakistan Working Committee.” He said such remarks weaken national unity and embolden terrorist groups. BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla echoed this, calling the Congress a “Pakistan Parast Party.”
Ravinder Raina, head of BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit, described the remarks as treacherous and an insult to the valor of Indian soldiers. He said the nation would not forgive Congress for such statements, especially during a time of mourning and heightened security concerns.
The political storm continues to escalate as national security remains at the center of public discourse.
