Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday declared that “enough is enough”, questioned why Narendra Modi was “hiding” and remaining “silent”, and urged the Prime Minister to not be “frightened” but tell the country the truth about what happened in Ladakh.

The Congress leader, who has been publicly urging the government to speak up on the border tensions with China and whether the neighbours had encroached on Indian land, said the entire country was “standing with you”.

The Congress said it was of the opinion that the loss of 20 soldiers, including a colonel, in a violent clash with the Chinese in Ladakh on Monday night was the outcome of the government’s prolonged silence and apathy even as the top BJP leadership remained busy with digital rallies to celebrate the first anniversary of the second Modi government.

The Congress felt the government’s ostrich-like attitude only worsened the situation.

In a video message released hours before the Prime Minister broke his silence on the casualties and also called an all-party meeting on Friday, Rahul said: “Two days ago, India lost 20 soldiers. They were snatched from their families. China grabbed our land. But Prime Minister, why are you silent? Where are you hiding? You have to come out. The whole country, all of us, are standing with you. Come out, tell the truth, don’t be frightened.”

Sonia Gandhi releases the video message. (PTI)

The Congress MP tweeted: “Why is the Prime Minister silent? Why is he hiding? Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened. How dare China kill our soldiers? How dare they take our land?”

Rahul also referred to defence minister Rajnath Singh’s tweets on Wednesday, asking why he did not name China. “If it was so painful: 1. Why insult the Indian Army by not naming China in your tweet? 2. Why take two days to condole? 3. Why address rallies as soldiers were being martyred? 4. Why hide and get the Army blamed by the crony media? 5. Why make paid-media blame Army instead of Government of India?” the former Congress president tweeted.

While some television channels said the government could not be blamed for the Chinese intrusion as it was the army that patrolled the borders, Rajnath said in his tweets that the “deeply disturbing and painful” loss of soldiers in the Galwan Valley would not be forgotten but made no mention of China.

Another Congress veteran, former Union minister Jairam Ramesh, also reacted to media reports by tweeting: “It is extraordinary that the Godi Media of Modi Sarkar has now started blaming the Indian Army for the border clashes in Ladakh. It is a political failure, not the military’s fault! 56 inch has become 56 millimetre. Stop insulting the Army.”

Congress president Sonia Gandhi released a video message asking the Prime Minister to share the “truth and facts” with the nation. “The martyrdom of our soldiers has shaken the country from within. For one-and-a-half months, Chinese troops intruded into our territory, causing extreme anger in the country. The Prime Minister should explain how Chinese troops entered our territory and killed our soldiers. What is the situation now?” she asked.

Paying homage to the soldiers, Sonia added: “How many soldiers and officers are missing, how many are seriously injured? How much of our land has China captured? What is the government’s strategy, policy and solution? We stand by the soldiers and the government. The entire country is united on this but the Prime Minister should assure the nation on the basis of facts.”

Like her brother Rahul, Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged the Prime Minister to “show up”.

“Our land, our sovereignty is being threatened, our soldiers and officers have been martyred, are we just going to remain silent? India deserves the truth. It deserves a leadership that is willing to do anything before allowing its land to be taken. Show up Narendra Modi ji, it’s time to stand up to China,” Priyanka tweeted.

Congress communications chief Randeep Surjewala pointed to the government’s silence on the border tensions for 40 days, lamenting that the outcome had been the gruesome killing of 20 soldiers.

“It is tragic that the soldiers had to face this because of the failure of the government,” Surjewala said. “Despite repeated warnings and information of intrusion, the top ministers were busy in political rallies, electoral machinations, engineering defections and pulling down Opposition governments.”

Claiming that a timely intervention could have prevented the bloody conflict, Surjewala said: “The Modi government doesn’t like questions being asked. They don’t give out information. Vital questions are not answered. Rahul Gandhi was constantly asked about the China border but no response came. What will the government now say to the families of the soldiers who were killed?”