SAYING IT IN BLACK & WHITE

Govt document alleges UPA rule ruined economy

THE Narendra Modi-led government on Thursday released a white paper on the Indian economy, loaded with the political message that the Congress-led UPA government considerably weakened the country’s economy during its 10-year rule from 2004-14 whereas the NDA government revived it through reforms and action-oriented policies.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the white paper in Parliament on Thursday, a week after she made the promise in her Budget speech on February 1. The paper attacked the UPA government for its all-round failure in managing the country’s economy, which it said was in sound health in 2004. The white paper sought to highlight the inefficiencies of the Manmohan Singh-led government, such as lack of leadership that triggered a policy paralysis, project delays, and unprecedented scams. The paper also listed out 15 scams of the UPA era including those related to 2G and coal blocks allocation.

Brought out just before the general elections, the white paper cherry-picked data and quotes of experts to attack the UPA government for mismanaging public finances, creating a banking crisis, and making India externally vulnerable.