'Kaala Teeka': PM Modi responds to Congress' Black Paper

New Delhi: News Summary

• PM Modi dismisses Congress 'Black Paper' as a symbolic 'Kaala Teeka'
• The metaphor implies an attempt to ward off negativity amid the country's progress
• Congress releases document highlighting alleged failures during BJP's 10-year rule
• PM Modi emphasises the positive trajectory of the country
• Government plans to counter with a 'White Paper' showcasing improvements under BJP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the Black Paper, released by Congress to highlight the performance of the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the last 10-year rule, is a 'Kaala Teeka' for him since everything is going so well in the country.

The Prime Minister's remarks came while he was giving farewell to the retiring members of the Rajya Sabha, including his predecessor Manmohan Singh.

"When a child gets ready for some good occasion by wearing some nice clothes, then a family member says to go after applying a Kaala Teeka, to ward off an evil eye. Today, as the country is touching new heights of prosperity over the last ten years, an attempt has been made today to put a Kaala Teeka, so that no one can cast an evil eye on it. I thank Kharge Ji a lot for (bringing a Black Paper)," PM Modi said.

Earlier in the day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge released the 'Black Paper' highlighting the alleged 'failures' during the 10-year rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre.

The Black Paper comes even as the central government is ready to present a 'White Paper', to show that the country had plunged into the "fragile five" economies of the world during the 10-year of the previous Congress-led UPA regime (2004-14).

(With ANI inputs)