THE repeated appeals to people by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and his senior colleagues in the Government in favour of austere living in the current conditions need to be taken seriously by the larger Indian society. Though the Government insists that the country has enough crude oil and gas reserves, it has nevertheless urged the people to save every drop possible so as to be ready for tougher days in times to come. It has also urged the people not to undertake unnecessary foreign travels and also avoid buying gold -- so that precious foreign exchange is not wasted and the country stays ready for the uncertain future. It is obvious, the Government is sensing that the war-torn global situation may not improve in the near future.

 

Hence the need for austerity at all levels. This is for the first time after the COVID pandemic that the Government is making such appeals to the people. It has stressed that the people would do well to adopt some of the methods that they followed during the COVID pandemic -- such as working from home, staying indoors, reducing the use of vehicles, avoiding destination weddings etc. One of the measures also suggests that the people would do well to avoid uncalled public contact. Cumulatively, all these may suggest that a COVID-like situation may also hit the world. And the purpose behind this appeal may have multiple dimensions -- which may include saving of precious money, precious resources, and precious lives. Another suggestion is about holding on-line school and college classes. In other words, the Government wishes to tell the people to be austere so that the nation would remain ready to face any kind of external shortages with the help of transformation of internal culture of the larger society. Such appeals have not come just once from the Prime Minister, but on more occasions he has underlined the need for austerity. Other leaders of the Government, too, are making similar appeals to the people from every possible platform. Because of the repeated expression of what should constitute as national need, there is a reason for the people to understand that something far more serious than we may imagine is likely to hit the nation.

 

Such a situation -- though at present in the distance -- cannot be taken lightly. The common people would do well to heed the Government’s word of caution and mould their personal or public conduct accordingly. When COVID hit India, the country’s people rose as one man to combat the menace. They followed the Government’s instructions to the hilt and cooperated to the fullest possible extent with the official machinery. So good was the conduct of the larger Indian society in those times that the world started admiring the way India handled the challenge and also helped other nations in overcoming it. It is clear that the Government has somewhat similar expectations from the people now as well. Only time will prove what the actual purpose of the Government’s appeals is. It is quite possible that the Government may expect the current West Asia crisis to explode in the worst possible manner and in that situation a very austere living protocol may have to be followed by the whole country.

 

It is also quite possible that some other unexpected developments may involve the country in a critical situation where austerity could be one of the tools to save precious resources and stretch those for longer periods for everybody’s use. No matter the detail, it is essential for the larger society to understand its responsibility and respond positively to the Government’s appeals for austerity -- like they did during the COVID crisis. It is obvious that the political community should also not attach some sinister motives to the Government’s appeals. Our COVID experience has shown us that together, the larger Indian society can stand taller than any challenge of any seriousness, any kind.