The BJP Sunday stepped up its 'Main bhi chowkidar' campaign with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other party leaders, including its president Amit Shah, prefixing the word 'chowkidar' to their names in their Twitter profile as they sought people's support in the Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP Sunday stepped up its 'Main bhi chowkidar' campaign with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other party leaders, including its president Amit Shah, prefixing the word 'chowkidar' to their names in their Twitter profile as they sought people's support in the Lok Sabha elections.
Party leaders, many of them Union ministers and chief ministers, also put out short advertisement videos showing that people from different walks of life have turned 'chowkidar' (watchman) to do their bit for the country like Modi.
The BJP has launched a massive social media campaign centred around opposition Congress' jibe "Chowkidar Chor Hai" over allegations of wrongdoings in Rafale deal negotiations. Turning the Congress attack on its head, the Prime Minister on Saturday launched BJP's 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign with a song.
1. Chowkidar Modi
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Modi's Twitter profile identified him as "Chowkidar Narendra Modi" and similar was the case with other BJP leaders as they launched a coordinated campaign.
"As Chowkidars of our nation, we are committed to creating a clean economy by using cashless financial transactions. The menace of corruption and black money has adversely affected us for decades. Time to eliminate these for a better future. #MainBhiChowkidar #ChowkidarPhirSe," Railway Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted.
Shah tweeted a campaign video to highlight people's efforts to keep their surroundings clean.
Modi had Saturday urged his supporters to take the 'main bhai chowkidar' (I too am watchman) pledge, saying he is not alone in the fight against graft and social evils.
"Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar. Today, every Indian is saying-#MainBhiChowkidar," he wrote on Twitter.
2. Gadkari, Fadnavis and others join in
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A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi added "chowkidar" to his Twitter handle profile and asked people to take the #MainBhiChowkidar pledge against corruption, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Sunday followed suit.
The profile name of his Twitter handle @Dev_Fadnavis was changed to "Chowkidar Devendra Fadnavis" on Sunday.
"Chowkidar" is a term often used by PM Modi to describe his role at the Centre as a watchdog against corruption as well as his hands-on style of work.
However, the Congress, which has alleged corruption to the tune of several thousand crore in the Rafale fighter jet purchase deal, has been hitting back with the slogan "chowkidar chor hai" (watchman is a thief).
3. What Scindia said
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A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the BJP's 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' poll campaign, Congress general secretary in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia took a jibe at the Prime Minister on Sunday asking who would save the country if 'Chowkidars' are like him.
Addressing the media here, Scindia said, "In Prime Minister Modi's rule a new environment of corruption has been created in the country. Rafale corruption has never been answered. The government is not answering the question lingering around Rafale. He is not answering why the cost of a jet was increased or why the number of jets was reduced. There is a long list of misdeeds and lies of PM Modi-Corruption, destroying the Make in India scheme, giving away the country's treasury to a businessman. If there will be Chowkidars like him then who will save the country?"
He further accused the Prime Minister of taking control of ministries. "PM Modi ji always says that Congress has not done this and that in the last 70 years. I would say, yes, we have never taken control of any other ministries. The defence ministry has itself admitted that the Prime Minister Office has taken control over the Defence ministry and is taking all the decision," he added.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav opined that the voices of those who have been forced to take up the profession of a security guard (chowkidaar) due to lack of jobs must be heard.
