Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “Main Bhi Chowkidar” campaign on social media ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, and said people should vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi if they wanted their children to grow up to be chowkidars, or security guards.
But if they want their children to get good education, they should vote for the Aam Aadmi Party, he said.
“Modiji wants the whole country to become ‘chowkidar’,” Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi. “If you also want your children to become security guards, then please vote for Modiji. But if you want to give your children a good education and make them doctors, engineers and lawyers, then vote for the Aam Aadmi Party.”
Modi on Saturday launched the “Main Bhi Chowkidar”, or “I am also a watchman”, campaign on social media. The prime minister has repeatedly referred to himself as the country’s watchman.
The slogan is a take-off from Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s taunt: “Chowkidar Chor Hai”, or “the guard is a thief”, used by the Congress to accuse the BJP of corruption, ranging from irregularities in a deal for Rafale fighter aircraft to allowing corporate loan defaulters to flee the country.
Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh were among those who added the prefix “chowkidar” to their Twitter handles on Sunday.
“Ecstatic to see the passion and commitment to protect India from corrupt, criminal and anti-social elements. Let us keep working together for a developed India,” Modi had tweeted on Sunday, lauding the campaign.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday took a jibe at Modi’s decision to add “chowkidar” to his Twitter handle, claiming that only the rich have a security guard or watchman.
On Wednesday, Modi interacted with 25 lakh security guards from around the country via video conferencing and thanked them for their work. He apologised to them and claimed that “some people” have started calling “chowkidars” a thief and have raised doubts about the integrity of security guards. However, the word “chowkidar” has now become synonymous with patriotism and honesty, he alleged.
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