BMS says Congress' 'chowkidar chor hai jibe' insult to security guards; demands apology

NEW DELHI: RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh Thursday claimed that the Congress' oft-repeated "chowkidar chor hai" jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an insult to all the security guards in the country and threatened to launch a nation-wide stir if the party did not stop using it.

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay, in a statement, said, "It has become a fashion to raise such derogatory slogans in poll meetings and the Congress should apologise to the watchmen in the country for their character assassination."

Seeking an apology, he said security guard unions and associations affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh have expressed their reservations against the slogan being used by the Congress.

The BMS also feels that it is an insult to the watchmen, Upadhyay said.

It is strange that Congress president Rahul Gandhi is using these "undignified" words "to insult the whole security guards community", which is condemnable, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh general secretary said.

If this attack on the character and dignity of watchmen community is not stopped then the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh will be forced to take stringent action and a nation-wide agitation would be launched, he said.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Rahul Gandhi had in a rally in November last year accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of bringing ignominy to all chowkidars (watchmen) in the country.

"Wherever you go, as you pronounce the word 'chowkidar' comes a reply 'chor hai'. I want to apologise to the chowkidars of the country. It is not your mistake, you all are not thieves, you all are honest. Only one person has brought ignominy to you. The country's prime minister has defamed all its chowkidars," he had said.