Turning the tables on Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his oft-repeated “chowkidar chor hai” jibe Prime Minister Narendra Modi told security guards to wear the abuse like a piece of jewellery.
Interacting with 25 lakh security guards across the country on the eve of holi, the prime minister said he was aware that the "chowkidars" of the country felt offended at being repeatedly referred to as "chor", a thief, but they should take his example and continue with their duties of “guarding the nation”.
The Prime Minister said he was happy to be linked with the watchmen.
“People across the country are saying I am also chowkidar. I salute all the watchmen who are always working in spite of all the adversities and hardships and performing their duties without thinking about themselves or their families,” he said.
“People may not know your name or recognise you but you continue to perform your duty irrespective of that,” he said.
And then, speaking to a woman security guard from Uttar Pradesh, who claimed she was upset at being called “chor”, he said he would like to “apologise to all security guards, jawans and security forces who felt offended by those politicians using such words “for their political gains”.
Attacking the Congress president Rahul Gandhi without naming him, the Prime Minister said this was not the first time he was experiencing such abuse. “It is a common practice of ‘naamdaars’ to belittle the kaamdaars’,” he said.
“We should not get disheartened, we have to ensure the progress of our children but we also have to ensure that the 'chowkidaar" within them is kept alive," he said.
The BJP is intensifying its ‘Main bhi chowkidar’ campaign ahead of general elections. The Prime Minister will connect to people via video conference on May 31 as well.
Earlier on Wednesday, he wrote a blog highlighting how the dynastic politics has undermined democracy and its institutions in India.