New Delhi [India], July 30 (ANI): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said that the Centre does not have the courage to say that US President Donald Trump was lying when he said brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan following the Operation Sindoor, which was India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 civilians dead.

'I said yesterday that by the end of my speech, the count will increase to 30 (Donald Trump's statement on ceasefire between Indian and Pakistan). The US President kept saying this again and again, but they don't have the courage to say that he is lying,' Kharge told reporters.

'They don't have the courage to say that we don't tolerate such nonsense. 'Dal mein kuch kaala hai', that is why they are not saying anything,' he said.

Earlier in the day, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not outrightly calling Trump a liar, alleging that if he does so, then the 'whole truth' will come out.

The Lok Sabha LoP stated that Trump is currently claiming to have brokered a ceasefire deal, aiming to pressure India amid ongoing trade discussions between the two countries.

'It is obvious that the Prime Minister has not said that Trump has not lied. Everyone knows what has happened; they are just not able to say that is the problem. This is the truth: if the PM says (something), then he (Donald Trump) will say by opening up fully, then the whole truth will come out. That is why it is not being said,' Gandhi told the media.

Despite the Centre's repeated clarifications that the US, or any other country, was not involved in deciding on the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, Donald Trump has once again claimed to have brokered peace between the nations.

More recently on July 29 (local time), President Trump, while speaking to reporters during a press conference aboard the Air Force One praised India's leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for its role in regional stability, but also claimed credit in brokering the 'ceasefire' agreement following the recent conflict triggered after the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

'Look, India, they're my friends and he's (PM Modi) my friend and you know they ended the war with Pakistan and by request and I was great and Pakistan did also. We did a lot of great settlements,' Trump said.

India had reportedly refuted the claims made by the US president, noting that it was Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) who contacted their Indian counterpart to request an end to hostilities, following which the ceasefire was then agreed upon.

Trump has also said that the India-US trade deal was 'working out very well' but hinted at a 20 per cent to 25 per cent tariff on New Delhi. However, Trump hasn't sent any letters to India announcing the tariff imposed, as he did for many other nations. (ANI)