Chandigarh, Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi on Sunday termed the Poonak terror attack, in which one Indian Air Force soldier was martyred and four were injured, as a 'gimmick'.

The former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress candidate from Jalandhar parliamentary constituency's remarks sparked controversy with BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa calling his statement appalling and disrespectful towards soldiers.

Responding to a question on the attack on the Indian Air Force convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch, Channi said, "These are stunts happening, attacks are not happening."

Answering a question in Jalandhar, he said, "Whenever elections come near, such stunts are done to make BJP win, there is no truth in this."

Channi is the Congress candidate from Jalandhar Reserve Parliamentary Constituency.

He further said, "BJP knows how to play with people's lives and bodies."

One soldier was killed and four injured when terrorists ambushed an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Poonch district on Saturday, three weeks before voting in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency.

BJP leader Sirsa said, "I condemn Charanjit Singh Channi's statement calling the martyrdom of an Indian Air Force soldier in Kashmir as 'stunting'."

“Congress is saying that he was martyred because of the elections. This mentality is not only appalling but also disrespectful to those who serve our country.

In a post on Twitter, Sirsa said, "Pakistan and Rahul Gandhi continue to support each other while Congress belittles the sacrifice of our soldiers."