Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday attacked the central government over the ongoing India-China standoff at the borders, calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi the “Sardar of liars”. Addressing an election rally in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh, Kharge criticised PM Modi for alleged inaction while China encroached upon Indian territory, accusing him of prioritising attacks on the Gandhi family whose members sacrificed their lives for the country.

Intensifying the attack on the prime minister, the Congress president wondered whether Modi was “sleeping” when China “entered” Indian territory.

He rhetorically asked why PM Modi had allowed a significant portion of Indian land allegedly to be taken by China if he indeed possessed a “56-inch chest” and was not scared.

“If you are not afraid then why have you left a large part of our land for China?” he said.

Speaking in Hindi, Kharge said, “Wo andar ghus kar aa rahe, aap kya neend kar rahe ho? Kya neend ki goli khaaye ho? Kya Rajasthan ke kheton me se afeem le jaake… ya wo khilaye hein kya?” (They are coming inside and you are sleeping. Have you taken sleeping pills? Have they taken opium from the fields of Rajasthan… and fed you?)

The Congress leader also hit out the prime minister over action taken by central agencies against the opposition leaders, claiming that allegedly corrupt leaders are absolved of the charges against them once they switch to the ruling party.

Kharge further said that Union home minister Amit Shah has a “very big washing machine.”

He said, “Till the time we had them they were corrupt, after coming to you they became clean within a month.”

Attacking the BJP, he added, ”These are fake and lying people and Modi is the ‘sardar’ of liars.”

Kharge claimed that central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, the Income Tax Department and the Central Bureau of Investigation are after Congress leaders.

Kharge referred to a list of 25 political leaders with criminal charges against them, claiming that the cases against two of them were dropped once they joined the BJP, and those remaining will be similarly exonerated, reported PTI.

Since 2014, 25 prominent leaders have jumped ship from major political parties and joined the BJP. Out of the total 25, 23 of them got reprieve after their shift, reported The Indian Express.

Slamming PM Modi for attacking the Gandhi family, Kharge said, “Sonia Gandhi lost her husband. When the party got a majority, people asked her to become the prime minister but she made an economist the prime minister of the country.”

(With inputs from PTI)