New Delhi: Opposition parties have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “negligence” and being “inconsistent” after he called upon Indians to embrace COVID-era restraint amid economic pressures from the West Asia conflict, while continuing with his own travel plans. While Modi asked citizens to reduce petrol and diesel use, work-from-home where possible, postpone foreign travel and gold purchases for a year, and greater reliance on domestic products to conserve foreign exchange, the opposition said that Modi’s appeal after the end of the assembly elections in four states and one Union territory, amounts to “shifting the burden of the crisis on citizens.”In a statement, the Congress said that the disaster is “Modi-made, just like how he remained lethargic during COVID. This time too, he’s done the same thing.”“Let the entire burden fall on the public, while he just plays the role of ‘PR Minister,’ roaming around here and there,” the party said.“Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had already warned about this, but Modi still didn’t prepare. While countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Maldives were busy with preparations, our Raja Babu was busy playing election-election games. This disaster is Modi-made, just like how he remained lethargic during COVID. This time too, he’s done the same thing. Now, the country and the public will have to bear the consequences of Modi’s negligence.”In a separate statement, Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of being a “compromised PM”.“These aren’t sermons – these are proofs of failure. 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,” he said.“Running the country is no longer within the reach of a Compromised PM.”Samajwadi Party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav questioned why Modi thought of all these measures after the conclusion of the assembly elections when BJP leaders took charter flights to campaign across the country.“Why did all these restrictions only come to mind after the elections? Weren’t the thousands of charter flights the BJP leaders took during the elections flying on water? Weren’t they staying in hotels, or cooking meals with photos of cylinders? Why didn’t the BJP do their election campaigning just through video conferencing? Are all these restrictions only for the public?” he wrote on X.“This kind of appeal will only spread fear along with panic, unease, and despair in trade, business, and the markets, due to apprehensions of recession or inflation. The government’s job is to use its vast resources wisely to pull us out of emergency situations, not to spread fear or chaos.”Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh said that in the name of patriotism citizens “must stop using petrol, diesel, and gas; don’t buy gold; don’t even use cooking oil.”“But Modi ji will bring lakhs of people to his rallies in droves, go on foreign trips, burn plenty of fuel; his people won’t just buy gold—they’ll snap up the entire nation’s wealth – but you keep playing the fool,” he said.RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said that there was no visible reduction in government expenditure during Covid or in recent days. He said that over the last week, “full-page advertisements spanning multiple pages have been appearing in all newspapers across the country.”“Who is bearing that expense? The same common public, isn’t it, from whom they are now being told to change all their habits from the kitchen to the workplace,” he said.“The question is not just about the appeals, but also about that moral consistency—or inconsistency—that forms the basis of credibility for any democratic leadership. When sacrifice is demanded from the public, its reflection should also be visible in the conduct of those in power.”CPI(M) MP John Brittas said that the Prime Minister should lead from the front on all seven appeals, particularly on foreign travel.Following Modi’s appeal on Sunday, the prime minister held a roadshow in Gujarat’s Somnath. Just hours before making the appeal, Modi also attended a roadshow in Hyderabad.The Wire has analysed that these activities were inconsistent with the fuel-saving and reduced-movement ethos he promoted to other ordinary citizens.