Tripura Opposition targets Centre over PM’s austerity appeal, flags economic concerns

The opposition in Tripura on Tuesday, May 12, stepped up its criticism of the Centre, with leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian National Congress accusing the Union government of pushing the country towards an economic crisis through what they described as faulty policies and excessive spending.
Leader of Opposition in the Tripura Assembly, Jitendra Chaudhury, questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent appeal for austerity, alleging that the call reflected growing stress in the national economy.
Addressing reporters in Agartala, Chaudhury said there had been little public concern shown over the economy until the Assembly elections in five states concluded.
“Now the Prime Minister is asking people to reduce the use of fuel, LPG and even postpone the purchase of gold jewellery to reduce the import burden. People are understanding the seriousness of the situation,” he said.
The senior CPI(M) leader also alleged that excessive expenditure on what he termed “unproductive sectors”, including election campaigning and large-scale public events, had contributed to the economic strain.
He further criticised the Prime Minister for projecting India’s economy as strong during election rallies while later urging citizens to adopt austerity measures.
Echoing similar concerns, Tripura Congress president Asish Kumar Saha said signs of economic slowdown had been visible well before the ongoing tensions in West Asia.
“The economy was already under pressure, and the situation has now worsened further. If corrective measures had been taken earlier, the present circumstances could have been avoided,” Saha said.
Holding the Centre responsible for the current economic challenges, he also alleged that certain foreign policy decisions had added to the pressure on the economy and urged the Prime Minister to fulfil promises made to voters during the election campaign.