The Congress on Wednesday called June 19 a “black day” in India’s history, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “lied” to the nation on the day about the Chinese transgressions in Ladakh.

The party also attacked the Modi Government for taking loans to the tune of $750 million (Rs 5,521 crore) from Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to provide financial support to the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), a scheme launched to help the poor hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, at a time when the armed forces were fighting China’s People’s Liberation Army in eastern Ladakh.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi too attacked the government on the issue. “Understand the chronology: PM said no one has entered Indian territory, then took loans from China-based bank, then defence minister said China has intruded into our territory and now home minister says no infiltration along India-China border. Is the Modi government with Indian armed forces or with China? Why is there so much of fear?” Rahul, who is currently abroad, tweeted.

Addressing reporters outside the Parliament House complex here, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera claimed that the Union ministers are speaking in different languages on the India-China border standoff.

“June 19 is a black day in the history of India because that was the first time that any Prime Minister lied to the nation. Not only did he give a clean chit to China that day, but also signed a loan agreement with the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to the tune of $750 million (Rs 5,521 crore),” he said. China is the largest shareholder in AIIB.

“By then, 20 of our brave soldiers had sacrificed their lives while protecting our sovereignty in violent clashes with Chinese troops,” added Khera.