“Proofs Of Failure”: Rahul Gandhi Slams PM Modi Over ‘Don’t Buy Gold, WFH’ Appeal

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday intensified his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Prime Minister urged citizens to adopt austerity measures, including avoiding gold purchases and reducing fuel consumption, in the wake of the ongoing US-Iran conflict and the global energy crisis it has triggered.

Speaking in Hyderabad on Sunday while inaugurating multiple development projects, Modi appealed to Indians to work from home where possible, rely more on public transport, postpone foreign travel and avoid buying gold for a year in what he described as a move in "national interest". The remarks came as global oil markets continue to face uncertainty due to tensions in West Asia and the continued disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.

Rahul Gandhi Calls PM's Appeals 'Proofs Of Failure'

Reacting sharply to the Prime Minister's address, Rahul Gandhi said Modi's comments reflected the government's inability to handle the crisis rather than offering solutions.

Taking to X, Gandhi wrote, "Modi ji demanded sacrifices from the public yesterday - don't buy gold, don't go abroad, use less petrol, cut down on fertilizer and cooking oil, take the metro, work from home."

He further added, "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."

Calling the appeals "proofs of failure" rather than "sermons", Gandhi also repeated his earlier "compromised PM" jibe at Modi and claimed that governing the country was now "no longer within his reach".

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

Congress Questions Government's Preparedness

Senior Congress leader K. C. Venugopal also criticised the Centre, alleging that the government remained unprepared despite the war having continued for weeks.

Venugopal said Modi appeared "clueless about ensuring India's energy security" and termed the Prime Minister's advice to citizens "shameless, reckless and downright immoral".

According to him, instead of asking ordinary citizens to bear inconvenience, the government should focus on building adequate contingencies to protect the economy from the impact of the international crisis.

He also stressed that authorities must ensure sufficient fuel reserves so that people do not suffer disruptions in daily life.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Karti P. Chidambaram described Modi's remarks as serious "directives" and questioned what had triggered such appeals from the Prime Minister.

Chidambaram demanded that Parliament be convened immediately so the government could "take the nation into confidence" and explain the "true state of affairs which has necessitated these 'appeals'."

PM Modi Urges Fuel Conservation And Public Transport Use

During his Hyderabad address, Modi said India must respond responsibly to the global crisis caused by the conflict between the United States and Iran.

"In this time of global crisis, we have to make a resolution keeping duty paramount and fulfil it with complete dedication. A big resolution is to use petrol and diesel sparingly. We must curb our use of petrol and diesel. In cities with Metro lines, we should decide to travel by Metro only. If we must use a car, then we should try to carpool," the Prime Minister said.

Drawing parallels with the Covid-19 period, Modi suggested that companies and employees should once again consider working from home to reduce fuel consumption.

He said restarting work-from-home practices would be in the "national interest".

'Avoid Gold Purchase, Delay Foreign Travel'

Apart from fuel-saving measures, Modi also highlighted concerns around foreign exchange reserves and rising import costs amid the global energy shock.

With the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route handling nearly one-fifth of the world's energy supplies, continuing to face operational disruptions, the Prime Minister asked citizens to limit non-essential spending that could increase pressure on imports.

He appealed to people to postpone foreign travel for at least a year and avoid purchasing gold during the same period in order to help the country manage foreign exchange outflows during the crisis.