On May 13, 2026, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of hypocrisy for advocating austerity while neglecting the financial needs of India's elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities. Kharge pointed out that the government has not increased old age pensions for the last 12 years, leaving many citizens struggling to meet basic needs. He emphasized that the current pension amounts, such as ₹200, have lost significant purchasing power due to inflation, effectively reducing their value to around ₹110 today. Meanwhile, Kharge criticized the BJP for spending nearly ₹5,987.46 crore on self-promotion from 2014 to 2025, stating that this extravagant spending undermines the dignity of disadvantaged citizens. This criticism comes in the wake of Modi's recent appeal for austerity, urging citizens to save fuel and avoid luxury purchases to strengthen the economy during the ongoing West Asia crisis.