Work From Home, Skip Foreign Holidays and Gold Purchases: PM Modi’s Appeal Amid Global Crisis Triggered by Iran-US-Israel War

Hyderabad, 11th May 2026 : Amid mounting concerns over rising fuel prices and pressure on foreign exchange reserves due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to citizens to adopt austerity measures similar to those seen during the Covid-19 period, urging people to reduce fuel consumption, avoid unnecessary foreign travel and postpone non-essential gold purchases for a year.

Addressing a public gathering in Hyderabad, Modi said citizens could contribute to the country’s economic stability by using metros and public transport, opting for carpooling and reviving practices such as work-from-home, online meetings and virtual conferences to reduce fuel consumption. He also encouraged greater use of electric vehicles and railway transport for goods movement.

The prime minister also appealed to people to avoid destination weddings and overseas vacations in order to conserve foreign exchange reserves, while asking families to cut down on edible oil consumption and prioritise locally manufactured products over imported goods. Farmers, he said, should reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers and shift towards solar-powered irrigation pumps.

Calling responsible lifestyle choices a form of patriotism, Modi said global disruptions in oil supply chains and rising import costs required collective public participation to reduce economic pressure on the country.

The remarks triggered sharp political reactions, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticising the appeal in a post on X. Gandhi termed Modi’s suggestions “proofs of failure” and accused the Centre of shifting the burden of economic challenges onto citizens. “Don’t buy gold, don’t travel abroad, use less petrol, work from home — these are not sermons, these are signs of failure,” Gandhi said in his post.

“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. Running the country is no longer within the reach of a Compromised PM” Gandhi said.