Ramesh further criticized the White Paper, saying the document makes no mention of the Modi government's 'failures' such as demonetisation, unemployment, inflation and rising economic inequality.

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday called the BJP-led Center's white paper on the UPA-era economic failures a “liar paper” and said the ruling party should have come out with a similar paper instead on issues like unemployment, demonetisation, tensions and Manipur.

“This is not a white paper, but a white lie. Our Congress President (Mallikarjun Kharge) yesterday released a black paper '10 saal anyay kaal'. The answer to this white paper is in that black paper. The black paper was a surgical strike on the white paper,” Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh told reporters outside Parliament.

VIDEO| This is what Congress leader Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) said on 'White Paper'.

“The White Paper should have been tabled on issues like the border situation with China, what is happening in Manipur in the last nine months, demonetisation, but they are silent on that. pic.twitter.com/Dr5VcAgXWT

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 9, 2024

'No mention of important issues'

Ramesh further criticized the White Paper, saying the document makes no mention of the Modi government's “failures” such as demonetization, unemployment, inflation and rising economic inequality.

“The issues on which they should come out with a white paper are the border situation with China, border tensions, we have been demanding a white paper on that, they are silent on that,” Ramesh said.

Modi govt 'silent' on Manipur, DeMo

The Congress leader said the opposition party has also demanded a white paper on Manipur, but the government has been “remiss”.

“We had earlier asked for a white paper on demonetisation, but they were silent on that too. There is no white paper on the country's 45 years of high unemployment…The white paper is yet another event. He (Modi) is an events manager, as (LK) Advani ji had said,” Ramesh said.

The government is silent on corruption and real issues such as injustice against farmers, women and youth, he alleged.

“The PSUs are being sold to one or two of his friends,” Ramesh alleged.

He also said that ports, airports, railways, factories and oil refineries are being privatized.

'White paper'

The government has come out with a white paper criticizing the Congress-led UPA rule, stating that it has turned the Indian economy into an unprofitable one by indiscriminately spending on revenue, off-budget borrowing and a pile of bad debts to banks.

On Thursday, the Congress alleged that the government's white paper on the country's economy under the UPA rule is aimed at hiding “the dark truth” and said hunger, price rise, unemployment and abject poverty are a lived reality for a large majority of Indians. under the Narendra Modi government.

(With PTI inputs)