Amid growing concerns over the economic impact of the ongoing West Asia conflict, Opposition criticise PM Modi’s appeal to conserve fuel and foreign exchange reserves on the other hand Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday urged citizens to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to conserve fuel and foreign exchange reserves.
Addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) annual conference, Vaishnaw said the possibility of an immediate ceasefire in West Asia appeared remote and warned that the prolonged conflict was creating uncertainty across the global economy.
‘Living In Highly Uncertain Times’
“We are living in highly uncertain times. Without any fault of ours, a war between two countries in our neighbourhood is affecting the entire world,” the Information and Broadcasting Minister said.
#WATCH | Delhi | Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, “Since the war is still going on, and yesterday’s developments, we all know that truce is still far away…We, as citizens, as our Prime Minister has asked all of us, we can reduce our expenditure on everything that requires… pic.twitter.com/TBZoUqMQlK
— ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2026
He appealed to citizens and businesses to adopt measures that could help reduce foreign exchange outflow and increase savings. Referring to PM Modi’s recent suggestions, Vaishnaw encouraged people to use metro services, opt for carpooling, prefer electric vehicles, prioritise railways for parcel transport and work from home wherever possible.
“I request everyone to take note of the Prime Minister’s appeal and contribute in the best possible way in the national interest,” he said.
What PM Modi Requested?
Amid the global oil shock triggered by the ongoing West Asia conflict, PM Narendra Modi urged citizens to conserve fuel, revive work-from-home practices and avoid buying gold for weddings for a year to help save India’s foreign exchange reserves.
He also appealed to people to reduce edible oil consumption and urged farmers to cut dependence on imported chemical fertilisers by shifting towards natural farming.
The remarks came as crude oil prices surged sharply due to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over the impact on India’s economy and fuel imports.
Opposition Criticise PM
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi sharply criticised the Prime Minister’s remarks, calling them evidence of the government’s failure.
“Modi ji asked people to make sacrifices, don’t buy gold, don’t travel abroad, use less petrol, cut spending on fertilisers and cooking oil, use metros and work from home. These are not advisories, they are proof of failure,” Rahul Gandhi said.
मोदी जी ने कल जनता से त्याग मांगे – सोना मत ख़रीदो, विदेश मत जाओ, पेट्रोल कम जलाओ, खाद और खाने का तेल कम करो, मेट्रो में चलो, घर से काम करो।
ये उपदेश नहीं – ये नाकामी के सबूत हैं।
12 साल में देश को इस मुक़ाम पर ला दिया है कि जनता को बताना पड़ रहा है – क्या ख़रीदे, क्या न…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 11, 2026
He further alleged that the government was shifting responsibility onto citizens to avoid accountability. “After 12 years, the country has reached a point where the public is being told what to buy, what not to buy, where to go and where not to go. Running the country is no longer within the capability of a compromised Prime Minister,” he said.
Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal urging citizens to reduce discretionary spending and conserve fuel amid the ongoing global economic uncertainty.
In a post on X, the AAP chief said, “The Prime Minister has advised citizens to cut down on food and drink, travel, foreign trips, and even purchases of gold and other expensive items. Is this a sign of an economic emergency? Is the country facing a massive economic crisis? This has never happened before.”
पीएम ने देश के सभी नागरिकों को खाने-पीने में कटौती करने की सलाह दी है, घूमने-फिरने और विदेश यात्राओं में कटौती करने की सलाह दी है, तथा सोना और अन्य कीमती चीज़ें खरीदने में भी कटौती करने की सलाह दी है।
क्या यह आर्थिक इमरजेंसी की आहट है? क्या देश भारी आर्थिक संकट में फँस गया है?… https://t.co/WDM25AfzR3
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 11, 2026
Kejriwal further demanded that the Centre come clean on the state of the economy. “The Prime Minister should present the truth before the nation. What is the real economic condition of the country?” he asked.
