NEW DELHI: "The Prime Minister lied about Ladakh land China usurped," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday, adding that the latest Chinese claim over Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin is a "very serious issue" and the PM should speak on it. Hitting back, the BJP questioned if the Congress and Communist Party of China (CPC) MoU required Mr Gandhi to "spy" against India and break the morale of Indian forces.

In a stinging retort, the BJP dared Mr Gandhi to disclose the details of the 2008 MoU signed between the Congress and the CPC. The saffron party alleged that it has been claimed that the agreement requires the Congress leader to work against India's interests and to break the morale of Indian forces when they act decisively against the Chinese.

Targeting the Congress leader, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said China captured over 43,000 sq km of Indian land when Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister. He asked if Mr Gandhi believed the stalwart Congress leader and his great-grandfather was a traitor". Mr Gandhi had recently used the term "gaddar" (traitor) for those who "gave away a part of Bharat Mata" to China, the BJP leader noted.

"Does this MoU also require him to mock a Prime Minister, who is the protective shield for every citizen and has elevated India's global stature, as "surrender Modi?" Mr Bhatia asked, referring to Mr Gandhi's earlier barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Noting that China had also donated to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Mr Bhatia asked if this "bribe" is the reason behind his statements "against" India.

The BJP spokesperson asserted that no one can dare to capture even an inch of Indian land under Modi's leadership. "The people of India will bless him again in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the BJP will retain power with a bigger mandate," Mr Bhatia said.

Earlier in the day, Mr Gandhi termed the issue of China releasing a "standard map" that laid claim over Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as "very serious".

Speaking to the media before departing for Karnataka, Mr Gandhi said, "I have just returned from Ladakh and I have been saying for years that what the PM has said, that not one inch of land has been lost in Ladakh, is an absolute lie. The whole of Ladakh knows that China has usurped our land."

Reacting to Mr Gandhi's assertions, Union minister Pralhad Joshi flayed the Congress leader for claiming that China has usurped India's land and accused him of making "baseless allegations".

They (China) are doing some activities in the area that was grabbed during Nehru's tenure as Prime Minister. This is due to the sins committed by the Congress post-Independence that China has become our neighbour. From the time it was Tibet till today, these people pursued policies that led to this," Mr Joshi said.

The union minister charged that Mr Gandhi "does not have any understanding" of policies.

"Our external affairs ministry has already condemned China's action on the map issue and has also strongly protested it. But he (Mr Gandhi) does not trust our external affairs ministry. He believes in what China says," the Union minister said.

"Our external affairs ministry has already condemned China's action on the map issue and has also strongly protested it. But Mr Gandhi does not trust our external affairs ministry. He believes in what China says," the Union minister said.

On Monday, Beijing released the 2023 edition of the so-called "standard map of China" that laid claim over Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as regions within its borders.