Opposition Attacks PM Modi Over 'WFH, No Foreign Travel' Appeal

Opposition parties launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his appeal asking citizens to adopt austerity measures amid the escalating Middle East crisis, with rivals questioning whether the government was bracing for a deeper economic emergency while shifting the burden onto ordinary people. Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Trinamool Congress leaders accused the Centre of "policy failure", poor economic planning, and hypocrisy after the Prime Minister urged people to avoid foreign travel, cut fuel usage, postpone gold purchases, and revive work from home arrangements to help India tackle global instability and inflationary pressure arising out of the Middle East conflict. The political backlash intensified even as the Centre moved into high alert mode over the Middle East situation. An important meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is scheduled at 10.30 am today, where ministers and senior officials will review the impact of the crisis on fuel supplies, shipping routes, inflation, and essential commodities. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called PM Modi's directives "proof of failure".