New Delhi, May 11 -- Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "seven appeals" to citizens may indicate that fuel price hikes and austerity measures could soon be introduced amid growing economic challenges linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis.

In a post on X, Ramesh said the Prime Minister's remarks made during his address in Hyderabad suggested that the country's economic situation may be more severe than what the government has publicly projected so far.

"The Prime Minister's unexpected pleas to the people of the country made from Hyderabad yesterday could mean the following -- 1. The economic situation is far more serious than what official numbers suggest and what the PM and his colleague...