New Delhi: Opposition parties on Monday sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his appeal to citizens to adopt austerity measures amid rising economic pressure linked to the ongoing Iran conflict and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The criticism came a day after Modi, speaking at a public event in Hyderabad, urged people to conserve fuel, limit foreign travel, reduce unnecessary consumption and adopt practices such as working from home and using public transport to help the country manage rising global energy costs.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of shifting responsibility onto citizens instead of addressing policy failures.
“Modi ji demanded sacrifices from the public yesterday — don’t buy gold, don’t go abroad, use less petrol, cut down on fertilizer and cooking oil, take the metro, work from home,” Rahul Gandhi wrote on X. “These are not sermons, but proofs of failure,” he added.
The Congress leader further alleged that the government was attempting to avoid accountability by asking citizens to bear the burden of the economic crisis. “In 12 years, he’s brought the country to such a pass that the public has to be told what to buy, what not to buy, where to go, where not to go. Every time, they shift the responsibility onto the people, so they can escape accountability themselves,” Gandhi said.
The Indian National Congress also demanded a special session of Parliament to discuss the economic situation and the implications of the Prime Minister’s remarks.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed Modi’s statements suggested the economic situation was more serious than what official figures indicated. He warned that austerity measures, including possible fuel price hikes, could be introduced in the coming weeks.
Sagarika Ghose of the All India Trinamool Congress also criticised the government, accusing it of hypocrisy.
Referring to the Prime Minister’s international visits and large-scale election campaigns, she questioned why ordinary citizens were being asked to make sacrifices while political spending continued. “For the people: austerity… Raja mast, janta trast,” she wrote on X.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed the government’s appeal an “admission of failure” in handling both the economy and foreign policy.
“As soon as elections are over, the government suddenly remembered the ‘crisis’. In reality, there is only one crisis for the country and its name is BJP,” Yadav said in a post on X.
The BJP, however, defended the Prime Minister’s remarks, saying the appeal was intended to strengthen India’s economic resilience amid global uncertainty triggered by the West Asia conflict.
Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya said Modi’s message reflected the need for collective responsibility during a period marked by supply chain disruptions, rising inflation and energy insecurity.
India has been facing mounting economic pressure due to the prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a major share of global crude oil supplies passes. India imports nearly 90 per cent of its crude oil requirements.
The economic concerns also weighed heavily on Indian markets on Monday. The Nifty 50 index fell more than one per cent in early trade, while the Sensex also recorded sharp losses amid fears of prolonged energy disruptions and inflationary pressure.
