PATNA, May 13 -- Bihar's deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary on Tuesday said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's advice in view of the Gulf War is commendable and described the Opposition's criticism as "sheer bankruptcy of thinking". He was talking to media persons after the public hearing programme at the JD(U) office along with other ministers from the party as part of the 'Jan Sunwai" programme starting Tuesday. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also reached the party office in a surprise visit just ahead of the programme, but did not interact with the media. As the media persons asked him about the induction of Nitish Kumar in the Samrat cabinet and how he viewed the new government's functioning, he responded with folded hands and left after moving around the party office. Endorsing the views of PM in the light of the Middle East crisis, Choudhary hit out at the Opposition for trying to play politics. "The leaders of the opposition are describing it as a failure of the government due to intellectual vacuum," he added. He said that today the whole world is struggling with energy crisis and all countries are trying to overcome this crisis in their own way, but unfortunately a frustrated and desperate opposition is looking at this also through a political prism. "It is well known that the foreign exchange reserves of any country are very important and forms the basis for the economic strength of the country. What the PM said should be seen in the context of the importance of foreign reserves ," he added. The Deputy CM said that excessive consumption of petroleum products, unnecessary purchase of gold and foreign visits put maximum pressure on foreign exchange reserves. "In such a situation, people's awareness can lead to foreign exchange savings. Therefore, this is not a failure, but prudence. In the past, during the wars of 1962 and 1965, people had even donated their gold to the government on the request of the government," he added. "Putting into practice the appeal of the PM will only be considered patriotism," he added, in the face of attacks from the Opposition. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had earlier attacked the PM for continuing to "mislead the people" though a post of social media. "During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he told the people the opposition would snatch their mangalsutra. In 2026, he is telling the people to stop buying gold. Time is accounting for the PM's truths and lies," he added. The Bihar Congress also attacked the PM for sermonising the people to skip foreign trips and himself going on five-nation trip. "If prices are rising and fuel crisis is looming, it is the government responsibility to answer the people. It is not time for preaching others and practising just the opposite," said Bihar Congress incharge Krishna Allavaru....