Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Tuesday accused the Congress party of misinterpreting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for an austerity-driven lifestyle amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP state office in Hyderabad, Rao said the Modi austerity appeal was intended to prepare the country for possible global economic challenges.
He said the Prime Minister’s suggestions included reducing fuel consumption, limiting gold purchases and cutting down on foreign tours. According to Rao, these measures were aimed at strengthening the economy during uncertain international conditions.
Defending the Modi austerity appeal, Rao said the Prime Minister encouraged citizens to use public transport, adopt electric vehicles and install solar pumps. He added that Modi also promoted the “Vocal for Local” campaign to support environmental protection and fuel conservation.
Rao said individual financial discipline formed the basis of a strong national economy. He added that leaders and citizens in countries such as London, Singapore and Japan followed similar practices.
Modi austerity appeal compared with Congress-era measures
Targeting the Congress leadership, Rao recalled that former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi had also appealed for sacrifices during difficult periods.
He said Nehru had once urged people to reduce rice and bread consumption and observe weekly fasts during shortages. Rao added that Shastri promoted “Monday Fasts” to tackle food scarcity.
Referring to Indira Gandhi, he said she had appealed to citizens not to buy gold in the national interest. He also noted that former Union Minister P Chidambaram had made similar suggestions in 2013.
Rao questioned why Congress leaders were criticising the Modi austerity appeal now when similar calls had been made during Congress governments.
He also compared the NDA and UPA governments on economic indicators. Rao claimed India’s foreign exchange reserves had increased from $304 billion in 2014 to $655 billion at present.
Modi austerity appeal linked to economic stability
Rao said India had risen from the 10th largest economy to the fifth largest economy globally under the NDA government.
He stated that India had managed to maintain stable petrol prices despite global fuel price increases linked to West Asia tensions. In contrast, he said countries such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka had faced fuel rationing.
The BJP leader urged citizens to voluntarily follow the Modi austerity appeal by choosing domestic tourism and purchasing Indian-made products.
He said the BJP worked with a “Nation First” ideology, while Congress believed in “Power First”. Rao added that politics should never come before the country’s welfare.
BJP state official spokesperson N V Subhash, treasurer Vasudev Rao and other party leaders attended the press conference.