The long awaited black paper was finally published

The Congress recently unveiled a document called the ‘Black Paper,’ which meticulously outlines the failures of the Modi government over the past 10 years¹. Let’s delve into the details:

1. Objective and Context:

   • The ‘Black Paper’ aims to highlight the shortcomings, lapses, and inadequacies of the Modi administration during its tenure.
   • It serves as a counterpoint to the government’s intention to release a ‘White Paper’ comparing the economic performance of the 10-year Congress-led UPA government with that of the 10-year BJP-led NDA government¹.

2. Key Issues Addressed:

   • Unemployment: The document sheds light on the unemployment crisis, an issue that the BJP government allegedly avoids discussing¹.
   • Economic Catastrophes: It criticizes the government for demonetization and a “flawed” Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation, which reportedly exacerbated the divide between the rich and the poor¹.
   • Farmers’ Distress: The ‘Black Paper’ accuses the government of failing to address farmers’ distress effectively.
   • Rising Prices: It highlights the impact of rising prices on the common populace.
   • Institutional Subversion: The document points out the subversion of institutions, including the judiciary and the press³.

   

3. Political Context:

   • Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge unveiled the ‘Black Paper’ and emphasized the need to expose the government’s failures¹.
   • Kharge criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not acknowledging the employment generated by public sectors like HAL and BHEL, which were established during Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure¹.
   • The Congress president also accused the government of discriminating against non-BJP ruled states and neglecting them¹.

4. Upcoming Discussion:

   • A discussion on the ‘White Paper’ is scheduled to be held in the Lok Sabha on February 8, 2024.
   • The government had announced its intention to compare the economic performance of the Congress-led UPA government with that of the BJP-led NDA government in the ‘White Paper’¹.

In summary, the ‘Black Paper’ serves as a comprehensive critique of the Modi government’s policies and actions over the past decade, highlighting areas where it fell short and raising pertinent questions about governance and accountability¹².