Congress Releases ‘Black Paper’ on Modi Government’s Failures

The 54-page document comes ahead of the buzz that the Modi government will put out a ‘White Paper’ making comparisons with Manmohan Singh’s tenure. The paper claims that ten years devastated the country’s economy, aggravated unemployment, destroyed the country’s agricultural sector, “abetted crimes against women and committed grave injustices against minorities in the country.”

 The Congress on Thursday (February 8) released a black paper on the Narendra Modi government’s failures, highlighting economic, social and political injustices in the last ten years.

The 54-page document, titled “10 Saal Anyay Kal”, released by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at a press conference in the national capital, claims that the Modi government in its ten years in power has “devastated the country’s economy, aggravated unemployment, destroyed the country’s agricultural sector, abetted crimes against women and committed grave injustices against minorities in the country”.

“Today we are bringing out a ‘Black Paper’ against the government. Whenever PM Modi presents his views in Parliament, he hides his failures. At the same time, when we speak about the failures of the government, it is not given importance. Therefore, we want to bring out a Black Paper and tell the public about the failures of the government,” said Kharge.

The move to release the “black paper” comes amid speculation that the Modi government will bring a white paper in parliament to highlight the economic failures of the UPA between 2004 and 2014.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, BJP MP Jayant Sinha, who is also the member of the Standing Committee on Finance, said that a white paper will be brought to the house.

“India’s GDP growth had slowed down to 5%, inflation had risen to 10%, The country was facing a balance of payment crisis. The baking system was in a crisis. Everyone was leaving the country and we were in the fragile economies in the world. This is the condition in which the UPA had left us,” he said in his remarks on the interim budget.

“In the white paper, we will clarify what was the position of the economy (before 2014) … and how we have tackled the economic problems.”

The ongoing interim budget session of parliament which was slated to end on Friday has also been extended by a day to Saturday, when the white paper is likely to be presented.

What the Congress’s Black Paper claims

In its “black paper”, the Congress has said that the Modi years have been “marked by high rates of unemployment, economic catastrophes such as demonetisation and flawed GST, which have only increased the divide between the rich and the poor and devastated the future of millions of farmers and daily wage workers”.

It has highlighted the highest unemployment rate in 45 years, prices of essential commodities being at an all-time high, and failure to increase MSP for farmers despite a promise to double their income.

Terming it “Modani Raj”, the party has also accused the Modi government of “neutering” investigative agencies despite a promise to eliminate safe havens  for economic offenders and facilitating crony capitalism.

Under samajik anyay or social injustice, the party has claimed that the last decade has seen “blatant discrimination and severe oppression against women, SC,STs,OBCs and minorities”.

“Its politics of hatred, polarisation and divide has destroyed the social fabric of the country,” the document claims.

Under rajneetik anyay (political injustice) the Congress has accused the Modi government of remaining silent on China’s encroachments on Indian territory, “undermining the Army with the Agneepath scheme” and targeting opposition with its investigative agencies and “ending the independence of the media”, along with the Election Commission, ED and RBI.

“Modi government talks about Nehru”

Kharge said that the Modi government never talks about the “biggest issue in the country which is unemployment”.

“They talk about Nehru but don’t talk about how many people were given jobs through public sector jobs.”

Amid ongoing protests by non-BJP state governments in the national capital against “tax injustice”, Kharge said that the Modi government does not release funds to states and then accuses them of not spending the money released by the Centre.

Taking a jibe at Modi’s assertion in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that he had given rights to SC/ST/OBCs, Kharge said that the UPA government had also given them rights but does not want to list them.

“All these are emotional issues. But giving employment is important. He should talk about it. You can talk about social justice when everyone has a share in development. Why are we insisting on the public sector? When PSUs are formed, SC-ST, OBC and tribals get employment and they don’t have to run around for daily wage jobs. It gives them stability. We want them to have steady jobs in government jobs and the public sector and if small scale industries have to be established, they should be hand held like they are given to big capitalists,” he said.

Kharge added that the Congress had ensured India’s independence and in 2024, it will take the country out of the BJP’s “darkness of injustice”.

Modi’s response

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha in his farewell speech for the retiring members of the House, Modi said that the Congress’s black paper was like a “kaala teeka” for his government.

“Now that Khargeji has come I have to fulfill my dharma,” he said.

“If a child gets ready for an occasion and wears nice clothes, we put a kaala tika to ward off evil eye. Today in the last ten years the country is stepping on new steps of development. That is why I thank Khargeji for giving this kaala teeka today for our government. I thought people will come in black clothes today but they have gone up to a black paper now. But I welcome that as well. Because whenever something good happens, kaala teeka is necessary. And if an aged person like Khargeji does it, it’s even more welcome for us.”