Proud to be a bhagidar: Modi on Rahul's charge

Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday responded to the Congr-ess’ charge that he is not a “chowkidar” (watchman) but a “bhagidar” (collaborator), saying that the allegation was actually a compliment to him.

“These days I am dubbed a ‘bhagidar’ (partner) and not ‘chowkidar’ (watchman). I feel honoured to be a ‘bhagidar’. Yes I am a ‘bhagidar’ and I am proud of it. I am a ‘bhagidar’ to the poor who suffer, the labourer who toils, the mother who suffers pain and the jawan who guards our borders. I am the son of a poor mother and can understand the pain of poverty. It is my background which has given me a sense of understanding of ground realities and also honesty”, he said.

The Prime Minister was responding to the allegation levelled by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament last week in which the Congress president had said that Mr Modi was not a “chowkidar” of the country but a “bhagidar” in illegal actions of his capitalist friends.

Mr Modi also said that earlier he been ridiculed by the Congress as a “chaiwala”, but he was proud of his humble beginnings.

Speaking at a function ‘Transforming Urban Landscape’ to mark the third anniversary of Amrut Yojana , Smart City project and  PM Awas Yojana (Urban) here on Saturday, Mr Modi also recalled the contribution of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in urban development.

“Atalji had said that we must preserve the old while building the new, and my government is working towards realising his dream. In fact, the full form of the Amrut Yojana is Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation. We are working towards improving the lives of the poor in urban areas and, by 2022, our aim is to ensure a house for every individual,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that Mr Vajpayee had given a new direction to transforming the landscape of urban India and Lucknow had a close relation with this concept because this was Mr Vajpayee’s “karambhoomi”.

Mr Modi also lauded the efforts of chief minister Yogi Adityanath in speeding up Central government projects in which the beneficiaries were the poor.

In an obvious attack on Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, the Prime Minister said that the previous government was not interested in utilising money for the poor. “They are more interested in decorating their own bungalows”, he remarked.

Earlier the Prime Minister visited an exhibition on Flagship Missions of Urban Development and interacted with 35 beneficiaries of PMAY (U) via video link from different cities of Uttar Pradesh. He also laid the foundation stone for various projects under the flagship missions.