New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS): Congress on Thursday slammed the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards the officers and soldiers killed in the gun battle in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag encounter for going ahead with his self-praising celebrations at the BJP headquarters while the news of the incident was being flashed at the same time.

Addressing a press conference here at the party headquarters here, Chairman of the Congress Ex-Servicemen Department, Col Rohit Chaudhary said that while the country was shocked with the grief as the news of the martyrdom of Col Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonchak and DSP Humayun Bhatt, flashed all over, the Prime Minister was busy getting himself showered with flower petals at the BJP headquarters.

"Why could not the Prime Minister stop the function and express solidarity with the country in general and the soldiers in particular."

He said that the army and the country were feeling hurt over such behaviour of the Prime Minister, who has otherwise always been claiming to be a nationalist.

Col Chaudhary said that the Congress stands by the martyrs’ families and shares their grief.

He said he along with his colleagues will be visiting Panipat, to share the grief of the family of Major Dhonchak.

He said, similarly the Congress representatives will also visit the Chandigarh residence of Col Manpreet Singh.

The AICC Ex-Servicemen Department Chairman said that over 30 incidents of terror have occurred in Kashmir this year so far.

He said that this particular incident was a “deliberate ambush” where the officers and soldiers were apparently lured into action and then ambushed.

He observed that there appeared to be an intelligence failure also which needs to be looked into.

He called for extra-caution saying this was an election year and the country’s enemies would be ready with their nefarious designs.

He pointed out that Pulwama also took place during the election year and that is why the country needs to keep extra guard against the enemies’ designs.

Col Chaudhary said that no lessons seem to have been learnt from the Pulwama terror attack, which took place on February 14, 2019.

He said, no proper inquiry and investigation was conducted and nor were the people responsible and involved in it identified and punished.

He said that if proper investigations had been carried out, yesterday’s incident may not have taken place.