HYDERABAD: State BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Tuesday accused the Congress of misinterpreting remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while suggesting people adopt austerity measures to overcome challenges being posed by the ongoing West Asia conflict.
Addressing the media at the BJP party office here, he said: “The Prime Minister urged citizens to use public transport, solar pumps and electric vehicles. These measures aimed at environmental protection and fuel conservation are followed even by world leaders in London, Singapore and Japan,” he said.
The BJP leader sought to remind Congress leaders that Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi too had appealed for public sacrifice during their term as prime minister. “Jawaharlal Nehru had asked citizens to reduce rice and bread consumption, and suggested fasting once a week. He also invited the RSS to the Republic Day parade in 1963 to honour their service during the China war. Lal Bahadur Shastri had called for ‘Monday fasts’ to tackle food shortages while Indira Gandhi had promoted ‘talk less, work more’ and implemented forced sterilisations during the Emergency,” he pointed out.