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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader CR Kesavan questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to implement austerity measures within Congress-led state governments following the Prime Minister's recent reduction in security expenses. The BJP leader questioned whether the opposition would match the Centre's efforts to prioritise national interest.
Speaking to ANI, Kesavan drew a sharp contrast between the Prime Minister's actions and the conduct of opposition leaders regarding public spending. BJP leader CR Kesavan said, "PM Modi is a trusted statesman who walks the talk, while Rahul Gandhi is a humbug hypocrite who indulges in cynical scepticism. Prime Minister Modi, true to his word, keeping national interest in mind, has now adopted austerity measures, substantially reducing his security convoy cavalcade. Now the question everybody is asking is, will Rahul Gandhi, who wastes no time in ridiculing and abandoning national interest, will he personally follow the example of Prime Minister Modi Ji, and will he instruct his Congress governments to undertake austerity measures?" The leader emphasised that while the Prime Minister is cutting back on his own cavalcade, Congress-led states are failing to manage public funds responsibly. Speaking to ANI, he further said, all the evidence seems to be on the contrary, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji's central government ensured that our people were protected from international shocks when it came to petrol and diesel, the Himachal Congress government mercilessly increased the petrol and diesel prices." "The only austerity measure the Himachal government is undertaking is denying and not paying salaries and pensions to honest civil servants. And take the case of the Karnataka government, the entire state has expressed their disapproval and in a reckless, insensitive, inconsiderate, and splurge the Karnataka government is involved in," BJP leader CR Kesavan added. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent push for austerity in government functioning, Union Home Minister Amit Shah significantly reduced the size of his official convoy by more than 50 per cent. The scaled-down convoy of Union Home Minister Amit Shah was first captured on camera by ANI, showing that all essential vehicles mandated under the Central Reserve Police Force's 'Z+' security protocol remained in place, despite a significant reduction from the earlier fleet of nearly a dozen vehicles. Officials, however, clarified that the downsizing of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's convoy has not led to any dilution of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The move comes shortly after the Prime Minister urged ministers and officials to adopt a more restrained and cost-effective approach in official protocols, emphasising the need to set an example of simplicity and efficiency in public life. Officials suggest that more ministers may follow suit in the coming days, aligning with the Prime Minister's message. The development is being seen as a symbolic yet significant step towards reinforcing accountability and responsiveness within the government. Earlier on Monday, Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent call for citizens to reduce consumption of fuel and gold. The Congress leader questioned the timing of the "new slogan," suggesting that the government is shifting the burden of economic management onto the common public after the elections. Speaking to ANI, Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao said, "... If you vote for the BJP, you will develop... They are telling us to use less diesel and petrol and purchase less gold... They have won, so they have started this new slogan... They are telling people to spend less... Stop this lecture and tell Adani, Ambani and the people of Gujarat to help India..." Highlighting the burden of fertiliser imports, the Prime Minister said India spends a significant amount of foreign exchange on importing chemical fertilisers and urged farmers to reduce their usage. To combat the volatility of fuel prices, PM Modi urged a shift in how India moves. He urged citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using the metro and public transport wherever available, opting for car-pooling when private vehicles are necessary, preferring railway transport for the movement of goods, and increasing the use of electric vehicles wherever possible. (ANI)
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