India, May 12 -- At a time when opposition parties are taking potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for austerity measures in view of the US-Iran war in West Asia and its impact on India, the BJP-led government has turned back the clock on the Congress to remind them of similar measures undertaken several times since Independence.

PM Modi had on Sunday appealed to Indians to reduce fuel consumption and not buy any gold for a year, among other things. The Congress and other opposition parties criticised the Prime Minister for his call, with the leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, calling the appeals "proofs of failure".

Gold appeal: Responding to the criticism of PM Modi's appeal on gold purchases, sources in the government...