I consider Rahul Gandhi's 'bhagidar' comment a compliment: PM Modi
PM Modi
PM Modi said, 'These days I am dubbed a 'bhagidar' (partner) and not 'chowkidar' (watchman). I feel honoured to be a 'bhagidar' of the problems of the poor'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit back at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his 'chowkidar-bhagidar' remark.
While addressing at an event in Lucknow to mark the third anniversary of three government initiatives related to urban development, PM Modi said he took the 'chowkidar-bhagidar' remark as a compliment.
He said, "These days I am dubbed a 'bhagidar' (partner) and not 'chowkidar' (watchman). I feel honoured to be a 'bhagidar' of the problems of the poor".
"I take this allegation as an honour, I am proud to be a 'bhagidar' of the pain suffered by the poor, the hardworking labour class, the agony of a sad mother, a poor farmer whose crops get destroyed by natural calamities, of soldiers who brave bone-chilling weather as well as scorching heat," he said.
"I am a 'bhagidar' of that poor family which is forced to sell its land for medical treatment, of the homeless, of illiterate children, and of the unemployed," he said.
The Prime Minister also pledged at the event that his government would provide a "pakka makaan" to every poor by 2022.
Rahul Gandhi had attacked PM Modi during the recent debate on the no-confidence motion against the government saying that the PM had promised to be a 'chowkidar' but had become a 'bhagidar'
Modi was speaking at a programme on "Transforming Urban Landscape", marking the third anniversary of three key government initiatives related to urban development -- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation of Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and the Smart Cities Mission.
He also went around an exhibition on Flagship Missions of Urban Development and interacted with PMAY(U) beneficiaries and launched various projects related to urban housing and infrastructure and the Smart City scheme.
Earlier this month, the Prime Minister visited his parliamentary Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, Azamgarh and Mirzapur of Uttar Pradesh. He also visited Sant Kabir Nagar on June 28.
PM Modi will attend a groundbreaking ceremony for projects involving an investment of Rs 60,000 crore in Lucknow on Sunday.
(With inputs from PTI)