Congress to Release ‘Black Paper’ Countering Modi Government’s ‘White Paper’ on 10-Year Performance

Newseense February 8, 2024

1 11 2 minutes read

Congress to Release 'Black Paper' Countering Modi Government's 'White Paper' on 10-Year Performance

Divergent Visions Unfold as Opposition and Ruling Party Spar Over Decade-Long Performance Assessment

In a strategic move to counter the Narendra Modi government’s recent announcement of a ‘white paper’ showcasing its achievements over the past decade, the main opposition party, Congress, is gearing up to unveil its own ‘black paper.’ Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge is set to release the comprehensive document, aiming to present an alternative perspective on the government’s performance.

The decision to bring forth a ‘black paper’ follows the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement during the budget speech on February 1, where she revealed the government’s intention to present a ‘white paper’ in both Houses of Parliament. The primary objective behind this initiative, as stated by Sitharaman, is to assess the country’s status pre-2014 and its current position, intending to draw lessons from the alleged mismanagement during those years.

The ongoing short budget session has witnessed intense debates and confrontations between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during discussions on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, launched verbal attacks on Opposition leaders, drawing attention to the forthcoming ‘white paper.’

Responding to the Prime Minister’s accusations, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, a key target in Modi’s recent remarks in Rajya Sabha, took to X to counter the claims. Accusing Modi of disseminating “countless false things” against the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments, Kharge highlighted issues such as the rise in unemployment rates, a drop in the average GDP growth rate, and numerous vacant government posts under the current government.

“Despite being in power for 10 years, instead of talking about himself, he only criticizes the Congress party. Even today he did not address issues like price rise, unemployment, and economic inequality,” Kharge asserted, adding, “‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ is only to spread LIES!”

In response to the upcoming ‘black paper,’ BJP leader Jayant Sinha defended the government’s ‘white paper,’ emphasizing its focus on highlighting the country’s alleged “poor economic condition” when the Congress-led UPA left power and showcasing how the BJP dispensation orchestrated a turnaround.

Participating in a heated debate on the interim budget in Lok Sabha, Sinha argued, “India was among the ‘fragile five’ economies globally when the UPA was in power in 2013.” He further pointed out challenges such as a slowdown in GDP growth, inflation reaching 10%, and rising non-performing assets (NPAs) of banks. According to Sinha, the Narendra Modi government successfully addressed these economic challenges, and the forthcoming ‘white paper’ aims to clarify the pre-2014 economic scenario and the government’s efforts in overcoming those hurdles.

As the political discourse intensifies, the release of both the ‘white paper’ and ‘black paper’ promises to add fuel to the ongoing debates in the Parliament, offering contrasting perspectives on the government’s decade-long performance.

Also read: https://newseense.com/pm-modi-set-to-address-parliament-bjp-issues-whip-for-attendance/