‘Compromised PM no longer capable’: Rahul says ‘don’t buy gold’ advice is proof of Modi govt’s failure

 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp counterattack on Monday against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent “seven appeals” to the public, arguing that asking citizens to cut back on gold, travel, and cooking oil was not sound advice but an admission of the government’s own economic mismanagement.

In a post on X, Gandhi said the Prime Minister appeared “compromised” and no longer capable of running the country.

“Yesterday, Modi ji asked the public to make sacrifices—don’t buy gold, don’t travel abroad, use less petrol, reduce consumption of fertilisers and cooking oil, take the metro, work from home. These are not suggestions. These are failures,” Gandhi wrote.

He added that after 12 years in power, the government had reached a point where the Prime Minister had to tell people what to buy, what not to buy, where to go, and where not to go.

PM’s Secunderabad pitch

The exchange began on Sunday. Speaking at a rally in Secunderabad, PM Modi had stressed the need to reduce dependence on imports to save foreign exchange. He listed seven specific asks: reduce petrol and diesel use, promote work-from-home models, cut down on edible oil consumption, halve chemical fertiliser use, postpone non-essential foreign travel, and avoid buying or donating gold for one year.

Officials said the appeals were prompted by rising global prices due to conflicts in West Asia. India, which does not have large domestic oil reserves, remains vulnerable.

Opposition piles on

But opposition parties quickly rejected the narrative. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed the economic situation was far more serious than official figures suggested. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the BJP had failed on both the economy and foreign policy.

“As soon as elections ended, the government suddenly remembered a ‘crisis’. In reality, there is only one crisis for the country, and its name is BJP,” Yadav said.

Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale questioned why ordinary citizens were being asked to make sacrifices while ministers continued using Air Force aircraft and large convoys. He also asked why the announcements came only after several state elections had concluded.

The numbers behind the appeal

Government data and industry reports show why foreign exchange outflows have become a concern.

Annual gold expenditure has crossed ₹6 lakh crore, up from ₹4.89 lakh crore in 2024–25. The World Gold Council noted that in the first quarter of 2026, investment demand for gold in India surpassed jewellery demand for the first time.

Indians spent ₹3.65 lakh crore on foreign travel in 2025–26, a sharp rise from ₹2.72 lakh crore in 2023–24.

Fertiliser imports touched ₹1.50 lakh crore this year, a 76 per cent jump. A significant portion comes from Qatar, making supplies vulnerable to regional instability. Prices have remained elevated as a result.

Crude oil, however, remains the biggest drain. India imports nearly 70 per cent of its requirements. While the oil import bill declined to ₹10.35 lakh crore in 2025–26 from ₹11.66 lakh crore the previous year, crude prices have surged nearly 50 per cent in the past two months. Sources familiar with the matter said the bill could climb to ₹17 lakh crore if the conflict widens.

What happens now

For now, the political battle lines are clear. The government argues it is preparing the public for hard choices in the national interest. The opposition sees an administration struggling to shield the economy from global shocks.

Rahul Gandhi ended his post with a pointed remark: “A compromised PM cannot fix this. A failed govt cannot ask for more sacrifices.” The Prime Minister’s Office has not issued a direct response.