PM dubs Cong’s ‘black paper’ as ‘kaala teeka’

PTI, Feb 8, 2024, 1:54 PM IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a jibe at the Congress for coming out with a ”black paper” on the NDA government, calling it a ”kaala teeka” that will ward off the evil eye on the achievements of his government.

”Whenever a good thing happens, we apply the ‘kaala teeka’ (to ward off the evil eye), and I thank (Mallikarjun) Kharge ji for doing this honour today,” the prime minister said in the Rajya Sabha.

The Congress on Thursday released a ”black paper” to highlight the ”failures” of the Modi government, alleging that the last 10 years were a period of ”injustice” with issues such as rising prices, unemployment, subversion of institutions and ”discrimination” against non-BJP states plaguing the country.

Modi said, ”When the country is touching new heights in the last ten years, we take it as ‘kala teeka’ to help ward off the evil eye”.

He said Kharge being an elder has put this ‘kaala teeka’ for the good work being done by our government in the country’s progress.

Referring to the black robes earlier worn by opposition MPs in the House as a mark of protest, Modi said, ”We also saw a fashion parade in the Rajya Sabha when some members came in black clothes.” Kharge released a 54-page ”charge sheet” indicting the Centre ahead of the government’s tabling in Parliament of a ‘white paper’ on the ”mismanagement” of the economy prior to 2014 with an aim to draw lessons.