Modi Makes 7 Public Appeals to Indians Amid West Asia Crisis and Rising Fuel Costs
SURAT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged all Indians to reduce fuel use, avoid foreign travel, and pause gold purchases to protect India's economy during the ongoing West Asia conflict.
The appeals came as rising tensions in West Asia pushed global oil and fertiliser prices sharply higher, putting pressure on India's foreign exchange reserves and the rupee. Modi asked citizens to carpool, use public transport, work from home where possible, buy Swadeshi products, cut cooking oil consumption, shift toward natural farming, and avoid non-essential gold purchases for one year. He framed the message as a matter of daily patriotism, saying the country's strength comes from the small decisions of 1.4 billion people — at the petrol pump, the dinner table, and the jewellery store.
For Surat, the stakes are unusually high. The city is among India's largest gold jewellery markets, a major textile and diamond export hub, and home to one of the country's busiest freight and logistics corridors. Any shift in gold buying behaviour, fuel costs, or import patterns touches Surat's traders and working families faster and harder than most other cities in Gujarat.
Opposition Demands Parliament Session
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram publicly questioned the government's approach, saying that if the situation is serious enough to require seven behavioural appeals from the Prime Minister, Parliament must be convened immediately so lawmakers and citizens can be properly informed about the true state of affairs.
"The Government must convene Parliament immediately and take the nation into confidence," Chidambaram stated, responding to the MyGov post that listed Modi's appeals under the heading 'Nation First — Duty Above Comfort.'
What Surat's Business Community Is Watching
Modi's appeal to reduce gold purchases for a year lands directly on Surat's Mahidharpura jewellery belt, where hundreds of traders and craftsmen depend on consistent consumer demand. Meanwhile, the city's transport operators are already watching diesel price movements closely, with freight rates expected to inch upward if the West Asia situation does not stabilise.
"We understand the national situation, but gold is not just investment here — it is culture, it is weddings, it is everything," said one jewellery trader near Varachha Road, speaking candidly about how the appeal will be received on the ground.
The government has not announced any deadline or policy enforcement tied to the appeals — they remain voluntary. Citizens and trade bodies are expected to respond in the coming weeks, with market behaviour around gold purchases and fuel consumption likely to serve as an early indicator of public response.
Reporting by Surties Newsroom | surties.co.in
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