‘Proof of failure’: Rahul Gandhi on PM Modi’s WFH, other appeals amid US-Iran war
Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeals for austerity measures amid the US-Iran war, calling them “proof of failure.”
Gandhi posted on X that Modi’s suggestions—such as avoiding gold purchases, cutting petrol use, reducing fertilizer and cooking oil consumption, taking the metro, working from home (WFH), and postponing foreign travel—were not mere advisories but evidence of government shortcomings after 12 years in power.
He accused the government of shifting responsibility to citizens to evade accountability, claiming India had reached a point where people must be told what to buy, where to go, or what to avoid.
Gandhi labeled Modi a “compromised PM” unable to ensure energy security despite three months into the conflict, amid threats to oil supplies via the Strait of Hormuz.
Modi urged these sacrifices during a rally in Hyderabad, emphasizing “Nation First, Duty Above Comfort” amid global economic pressures from the war.
He specifically called for prioritizing WFH, online meetings, judicious oil use, and skipping non-essential gold buys for a year to conserve foreign reserves.
Earlier, Gandhi had questioned Modi’s silence on an Iranian warship sinking in the Indian Ocean, calling it a surrender of strategic autonomy as conflict reached India’s “backyard.”
Opposition leaders like Akhilesh Yadav echoed the attacks, framing it as BJP’s economic failure.
This exchange highlights ongoing political friction over India’s response to the US-Iran war’s impacts, including rising fuel prices.
