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�Am 24x7 chowkidar�, says PM after fugitive Nirav Modi�s arrest in London
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Congress over its �chowkidar chor hai�
slogan in his radio address to the security guards from across the country.
LOK SABHA ELECTIONS Updated: Mar 20, 2019 19:23 IST
HT?Correspondent
HT?Correspondent
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Lok Sabha election,narendra modi,Chowkidar
PM Narendra Modi addressed 25 lakh chowkidars (watchmen) across the country via
radio conferencing. (Reuters File Photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi�s campaign projecting himself as a chowkidar
(watchman) got a boost after fugitive businessman Nirav Modi was arrested in
London. Hours after his arrest, PM Modi held a radio interaction with security
guards from across the country and said, �My work is to be alert 24X7 like you.�

In his radio address on Wednesday, PM Modi identified his role with that of a
security guard in preventing �any wrong� from happening. This comes amid initial
success of India�s efforts to have Nirav Modi extradited from the UK.

Also Read | Nirav Modi denied bail in London court, to stay in jail till March 29

Nirav Modi had been evading the authorities since February last year. He was
arrested in London by the Scotland Yard on Tuesday on India�s request for his
extradition made in August last year. Nirava Modi is wanted in Rs 14,000 crore
Punjab National Bank fraud.

PM Narendra Modi also targeted the Congress party over its slogan, �chowkidar chor
hai� in its campaign against the BJP-led government. Chowkidar is the flavour of
the season, said PM Modi referring to BJP�s counter-campaign, �Main Bhi Chowkidar�
on social media.

PM Modi, in his radio address, said, �Everyone is talking about chowkidar. The
entire nation is taking a pledge to be a chowkidar today...Calling a chowkidar chor
repeatedly is an insult to all chowkidars.�

Without taking name of any party or opposition leader, the prime minister attacked
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who has used slogan, �chowkidar chor hai� (the
watchman is a thief) to target him.

Watch: Opinion I Nirav Modi arrested: Boost for Modi�s �chowkidar� campaign?
Play Video

�I want to apologise as some people in last few months for their vested interests
have run a disinformation campaign against �chowkidars�. It is unfortunate that
language of these people has hurt you,� said PM Modi responding to a question put
to him by a participant.

�We have to make great progress. We have to make our children doctor, engineer,
soldiers in the army, and also the prime minister of the country. But we have to
keep the �samskar� (defining attribute) of a chowkidar in our children,� he said in
an apparent reference to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal�s jibe at �Main Bhi
Chowkidar� campaign of the BJP.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had tweeted asking people to vote for the BJP only if
they want to make their children chowkidar and not doctors or engineers.

He was addressing 25 lakh chowkidars (watchmen) across the country via radio
conferencing. The prime minister, who changed his twitter handle to Chowkidar
Narendra Modi two days ago, has referred to himself as a �chowkidar� (watchman) at
various election rallies.

Less than a week ago, he had taken to Twitter to launch the BJP�s �Main Bhi
Chowkidar� campaign inviting the common people to participate in it and be
vigilant. As part of the campaign, most of BJP leaders changed their Twitter
handles adding �Chowkidar� to their names.

In his rallies, PM Modi has referred to himself as chowkidar promising to provide a

corruption-free government.

On the other hand, the Congress has picked on the keyword and come up with its own
slogan of �chowkidar chor hai�. Gandhi has, at numerous rallies, referred to slogan
alleging malfeasance in the Rafale deal.

Gandhi has alleged that PM Modi scrapped the UPA-negotiated Rafale deal with France
in order to benefit industrialist Anil Ambani, whose firm is an offset partner of
the Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of the fighter jet.

India signed an intergovernmental agreement with France in 2016 for the purchase of
36 Rafale fighter jets in flyaway condition for about Rs 59,000 crore.

First Published: Mar 20, 2019 17:04 IST

tags
Narendra Modi Chowkidar PM Modi Security Guard Season Address BJP Twitter
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