Congress also took a dig at PM Modi's "Jhula (Swing) Diplomacy" with China.
Singed by the BJP's allegations of corruption and subversive dealings with China, the Congress party on Saturday hit back at the ruling party with 10 pointed questions on its relationships with the Chinese Communist Party and Beijing. Facing increasing questions over the clash in Ladakh with Chinese troops that left 20 Indian soldiers dead last week, the BJP has mounted accusations on the Congress leadership over the past few days.
Taking on BJP chief JP Nadda for "his flailing attempts at distraction and diversion from the issues of national security and territorial integrity", Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the party itself is "scared of the questions being asked on its deep-rooted Chinese connections".
He released a list of 10 questions that include the BJP's links to the China Association for International Friendly Contact (CAIFC) and its interactions with the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
"What is the connection of the BJP to the Communist Party of China (CCP)? What is the historical relationship between BJP and CCP spoken about by the then BJP President, Shri Rajnath Singh during the visit of a CCP delegation on January 30th, 2007 and reiterated by him during the meeting with members of Politburo of the CCP on October 17th, 2008?" the Congress asked
"Why did the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ('RSS') go to China in January 2009 on an invite from the CCP? Why was a delegation of RSS invited by the CCP despite it not being a political party and what discussions were held on our sensitive state of Arunachal Pradesh as also Tibet?" it asked.
"Why did the then BJP President, Shri Nitin Gadkari go to China on a five-day visit on January 19th, 2011 at the invitation of the Communist Party of China ('CCP')?" it said.
The questions also included those on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's several visits to China, hosting the country's leadership with grand events in India and much-talked about photo op Chinese President Xi Jinping on a swing.
"Why did the then BJP President, Shri Amit Shah send a delegation of MP's/MLA's in November 2014 to China for a week-long study in "The Party School" of the Chinese Communist Party ('CCP')?" the Congress asked.
It also dared the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) - the ideological mentor of the BJP - to declare its donors including foreign like the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation which has been the subject of many of the party's accusations this week.
"Will the BJP declare the name of donors from whom it has received thousands of crores in donations through electoral bonds?" the Congress said, along with other questions on funding of the party, the RSS and other associated organisations.
The questions came in response the BJP's sharp attack on the Gandhi family, which leads the Congress, and allegations of impropriety in the transfer of Rs 20 lakh from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) in 2005, during the Congress-led Manmohan Singh government.
On Friday the BJP followed up its claims with party chief JP Nadda releasing papers he said were proof the Congress had pushed for a regional trade agreement favourable to China, referring to this as "economic surrender" after Rahul Gandhi, last week, called Prime Minister Narendra Modi "Surender" Modi.