BSP chief Mayawati Friday said the BJP could take up "chowkidari" after "losing" the Lok Sabha elections, prompting a sharp retort from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth who asserted that "thieves get uneasy when the watchman becomes alert".
In a tweet, Mayawati Friday morning said the BJP leaders were free to amuse themselves and do whatever they want, but they should not insult the country and denigrate constitutional posts in any way.
"Let DM, CM & PM remain as per the provision of the Constitution. They can do chowkidari after losing polls," she tweeted.
Mayawati alleged that while BJP leaders did not care about the files on the Rafale deal, they were hiding crucial data on unemployment and farmers' plight.
In a series of tweets, she took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his colleagues for calling themselves 'chowkidar' (watchman).
She alleged they were not bothered about Rafale files being "stolen", but were hiding data on "declining" employment rate, poverty and farmers' plight.
She claimed that data were being hidden for votes or image and asked if the country needed such a "chowkidar".
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister claimed that while several BJP leaders and ministers declared themselves'chowkidars' like the prime minister, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister was not sure whether to announce himself as one or remain a public servant or a yogi (sanyasi).
The BJP leaders might adopt whatever fashion they want, but they should work as 'watchmen' of the law and Constitution, she said, adding that this was all that the people wanted.
Reacting to Mayawati's tweet in Gorakhpur Friday, Adityanath said, "Thieves get uneasy when chowkidar becomes alert."
"I and the entire state could understand the uneasiness, worry and pain of Mayawatiji," he said.
Adityanath alleged that during her regime, a new record of loot and and corruption was set, and she is upset as these things stopped due to the alertness of the chowkidar.
He claimed she must be in pain now, due to the alertness of the entire nation.
"If chowkidars are alert, thieves will be uneasy. Actually every conscientious citizen is a chowkidar. Being a yogi I am a chowkidar of religion, society and culture and being the chief minister, I am a chowkidar of the state," he said.
Modi and his partymen have launched the 'Main bhi chowkidar' (I too am a watchman) campaign to blunt the opposition's, especially the Congress's, 'chowkidar chor hai (watchman is a thief) slogan.
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