New Delhi:

In response to the comments made by former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar on Chinese aggression in 1962, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said that the former had said in a “slip of tongue” and he had also apologised for his statement.

“This is not a big issue. It was a slip of tongue and he has apologised. The Bharatiya Janata Party is continuously bringing up this issue after that. This shows their bankruptcy,” Mr Khera said speaking to ANI on Wednesday.

Mr Khera, however, questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly giving a “clean chit” to China in the Galwan Valley clash in 2020.

“Narendra Modi gave a clean chit to China on June 19, 2020. China which took control of 26 out of 65 patrolling points, which is 2000 square kilometers in eastern Ladakh, has been given clean chit by Narendra Modi. He has insulted the 24-25 soldiers who died in that clash while defending the patrolling points,” he said.

The Congress leader also suggested that PM Modi must have been under pressure from China due to which he was forced to give the “clean chit” to an “enemy nation”.

“You (PM Modi) gave a clean chit to an enemy nation. You must have some pressure from China which we don’t know of. You go to visit the Chinese around 18 times. There must be some pressure. There must be some secret which we don’t know of. There must be some secret because of which the Prime Minister was pressurised to give clean chit to an enemy nation,” Mr Khera said.

“The nation won’t be harmed if Mani Shankar Aiyyar say something in a slip of tongue. The nation will be harmed when you (PM Modi) give a clean chit to an enemy,” he added.

Mr Aiyar, who is no stranger to controversies, sparked a massive row after he said, “In October 1962, the Chinese allegedly invaded India” during an event on Tuesday. The remarks were met with severe backlash with the BJP coming out guns blazing against the Congress, following which the party had to distance itself from Aiyar’s comments.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, said earlier in the day, that Mr Aiyar has “subsequently apologised unreservedly” for his remarks.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)