Maharashtra Oppn slams PM Modi’s austerity appeal, calls it policy failure

While Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged that the austerity measures were a result of election-focused governance, the NCP SP said that the BJP should lead by example before asking the public to curtail consumption and travel.

The Opposition in Maharashtra on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for public austerity amid the West Asia conflict, labelling it a ''policy failure'' and accusing the government of weakening the economy. While Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged that the austerity measures were a result of election-focused governance, the NCP (SP) said that the BJP should ''lead by example'' before asking the public to curtail consumption and travel. PM Modi on Sunday called for judicious use of fuel, postponement of gold purchases and foreign travel, among other measures, to strengthen the economy amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The prime minister's appeal has drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition parties. Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged that the prime minister was preoccupied with ''events, photoshoots and campaign rallies'' while ordinary citizens were bearing the burden of hardship. In a post on X, he claimed that the country was facing a shortage of fuel and LPG and that inflation had severely affected the common people. ''The country needed a leader with vision, but instead it was saddled with nothing more than an event manager,'' Sapkal wrote. He accused the Modi government of weakening the economy in its pursuit of electoral victories, and now asking citizens to make sacrifices by reducing consumption of petrol and diesel, fertiliser and edible oil. While other countries were preparing for possible global crises, the BJP was focused on elections, advertisements and ''politics of hatred'', he stated. Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sapkal alleged that the government had prioritised symbolic programmes even as people died due to shortages of oxygen. He claimed that every ordinary citizen was now paying the price for what he described as the prime minister's negligence, arrogant governance and publicity-driven politics. Shiv Sena UBT's Priyanka Chaturvedi termed the PM's appeal a ''policy failure'' of the Union government. The former Rajya Sabha MP, in a post on X, claimed that citizens were already suffering because of ''election-focused governance'' and high costs resulting from the government's foreign policy. ''Policy failure to handle the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Election related decisions cannot now be dumped at the door of the citizens and asked to conserve oil and curtail travel/purchases,'' she said. NCP (SP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said that the BJP should follow PM Modi's appeals before preaching to citizens. In a statement, Crasto questioned whether the BJP governments and leaders would now prioritise work from home, reduce fuel consumption by cutting down on large convoys and using public transport, adopt ''swadeshi'' by giving up foreign-branded products, and refrain from foreign travel for a year. ''BJP must lead by example and practise what they preach,'' he said. ''If the BJP does not, then it will be just another act of 'playing to the galleries','' he added. Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad alleged that the country was facing a crisis due to the Modi government's lack of planning. The Mumbai Congress president, in a statement, said PM Modi has ''admitted his government's failure'' by acknowledging the country was facing difficulties. ''Why should citizens bear the burden of Narendra Modi's mistakes?'' she asked. Referring to the prime minister's appeals to citizens to reduce fuel consumption, avoid purchasing gold and use public transport, Gaikwad said Modi himself travelled on an aircraft worth Rs 8,000 crore, used expensive items and undertook frequent foreign visits at public expense. ''The prime minister and his ministers should first adopt austerity in their own lives,'' she said. Gaikwad also said that, in line with Modi's advice, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his ministers should avoid travelling in large motorcades and use public transport. Maharashtra Congress's chief spokesperson Atul Londhe accused PM Modi of double standards. ''People are told to reduce petrol and diesel consumption, use car pooling and metro services, while he (PM Modi) moves around with convoys of 100 vehicles during roadshows. Citizens are being told to avoid foreign tours while he himself is leaving on visits to several European countries,'' Londhe alleged. NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse described Modi's appeal as ''wisdom that came late'', saying an earlier call could have yielded better results. However, he said citizens should still follow the appeal as it was in the national interest. Addressing a rally organised by the Telangana BJP in Hyderabad, PM Modi on Sunday suggested reducing petrol and diesel consumption, using metro rail services in cities, carpooling, increased use of electric vehicles, utilising railway services for parcel movement, and working from home to conserve foreign exchange amid the crisis in West Asia.