Modi Said Save Fuel. Then Did A Roadshow With 100 Cars. The Cars Were Not Running On Patriotism.

HYDERABAD/GUJARAT — On Sunday, May 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a BJP public meeting at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad and issued a series of appeals to the Indian public in the spirit of national sacrifice during the US-Iran war crisis. He asked citizens to: use less fuel, take public transport, work from home wherever possible, avoid overseas vacations, not buy gold for a year, reduce edible oil consumption, use less chemical fertiliser, and switch to solar irrigation pumps. This is a complete list. It is a long list. It covers most of daily life. The PM delivered it with the gravity of a man who believes deeply in collective sacrifice.

By Monday morning, videos had surfaced on social media showing PM Modi's convoy during a Gujarat roadshow — a convoy that witnesses and news footage estimated at well over a hundred vehicles, including SUVs, security vehicles, support vehicles, ambulances, and pilot cars — moving through Gujarat streets at the speed of a very large, very fuel-consuming procession.

Rahul Gandhi posted on X: "Modi ji demanded sacrifices from the public — don't buy gold, don't go abroad, use less petrol, take the metro, work from home — and then did a roadshow with a convoy the size of a small army." The Congress called it "proof of governance failure." The BJP has not yet commented on the convoy's fuel consumption, which is also an answer of sorts.

Meanwhile, the government confirmed there is no petrol or diesel shortage. This statement was issued in response to panic buying at fuel stations across six cities. The panic buying started after the PM asked people to save fuel. The announcement of sacrifice created the crisis it was meant to prevent. This is called unintended consequences. In politics it is called a Monday.