‘Chowkidaar’ who was ‘chor’ for them in 2019 became honest in 2024: PM Modi's veiled dig at opposition

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the opposition parties of spreading misinformation and conspiring against the BJP-led central government to win elections.

Referencing the infamous 2019 “Chowkidaar chor hai” jibe used by the Congress, PM Modi told a gathering of party workers, “In 2019, the 'chowkidaar' was a 'chor' for them. But by 2024, they did not dare to call the 'chowkidaar' a 'chor' even once.” PM Modi claimed that opposition parties were driven by regaining power at any cost, even if it meant misleading the public.

"The people who consider power as their birthright have lost central power for the last decade. They are so angry with the public for blessing someone else that they have resorted to conspiring against the nation," said PM Modi, highlighting that such actions were a threat to democracy.

The Prime Minister pointed to the opposition's long history of spreading “lies and rumors,” a tactic he claimed had intensified over the years.

"Their shop of lies has been running for the last 75 years. But now, they have sped up their mission," PM Modi said, calling on the BJP workers to stay vigilant and expose what he termed as “a series of falsehoods.”

PM Modi also spoke about the BJP’s unexpected success in states like Odisha, Haryana, and Maharashtra. He cited Odisha as a particularly striking example, where “big political experts had dismissed the possibility of BJP forming a government,” only to be proven wrong by the election results.

The prime minister credited BJP workers for their tireless efforts in the development of Odisha, a state where the party has historically struggled for power. "The Odisha poll results surprised many big political experts. This shows the strength and dedication of our party workers," he added.

PM Modi is in Bhubaneswar on a three-day visit to Odisha where he will also attend the DG/IGP conference. He attended a special felicitation program organized by the Odisha BJP, where he addressed enthusiastic party workers.