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55-year old Imran is a watchman in one of the residential buildings in suburban Mumbai. He sleeps on the same chair he sits on to guard the building and uses the common toilet in the parking lot to clean up. He works two shifts a day of 12 hours each, for a total salary of ₹13,500. If he had worked one shift a day, he would have got ₹7,000 a month and would have had to find himself an accommodation. He would rather send nearly all his earnings to his family in a village in Uttar Pradesh than rent a room in Mumbai. Imran was blissfully unaware of the ongoing trend on Twitter where leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and their supporters have prefixed the word 'chowkidar' to their profile names. Chowkidar is the Hindi word for watchman or security guard and it has since become a buzzword on social media. When told about his humble job being at the centre of the country's political discourse ahead of the elections, Imran's first reaction was that of amusement. "Wasn't it chaiwala the last time?" he asked with a smirk and thinly veiled sarcasm. 'Chaiwala' is what Indians call the local tea vendor in Hindi. Modi's claim to fame in the run up to the 2014 elections was that he had worked in his father's tea stall in Gujarat as a child. He used his humble origins effectively as he challenged the country's political royalty-- the Gandhi family which has sent three Prime Ministers in the past-- and caught the fancy of an aspiring voter base. At the same time, a series of corruption charges against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) tilted the scale further in Modi's favour and the BJP swept the elections with a majority in Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament. This was the first time any party had managed to score a full majority in India's Parliamentary elections since 1984. Modi is banking once again on a strategy that worked for him five years ago. The word 'chowkidar' has been bandied around by BJP leaders pitching Modi as a man of strength but someone who lacks political pedigree. That can hardly be true for a person who has been a politician for over two decades, a chief minister for three terms, and currently, the prime minister seeking re-election. The playbook-- underdog versus the entitled-- is as old as time but no one has claimed the 'underdog' tag effectively after the first surprise. But Modi is giving it another shot And in this battle of catchphrases, Modi may have an upper hand over his rivals. First of all, the move has either distracted or diluted the debate on more pressing issues like the economy, policies, and unemployment. Modi's rivals are essentially talking about things that he wants them to talk about. While charging the government with corruption, senior Congress leaders have tweeted '<keyword id="6895071" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chowkidar-chor-hai">chowkidar chor hai</keyword>' or 'the watchman is the thief'. However, by referring to Modi as the watchman repeatedly, even in slander, the opposition is unwittingly fortifying the image he wants: a strongman of a humble background who is guarding the country not just from adversaries across the borders but also keeping a watch on home-grown muggers looking for a way out to safety. For example, the opposition is mocking Modi citing the government's failure to stop billionaire fugitives like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Mehul Choksi with unpaid loans and alleged bank frauds to their name from leaving the country. However, even if one of the three are nabbed ahead of the elections, it will be forgotten that each of the three businessmen, with close ties to the BJP in the past, did mysteriously escape from the country. The time spent on countering the chowkidar claim could have been used to question the government on its economic blunders like demonetisation, the troubles of the small enterprises, and the rise in unemployment in the last five years. In the run up to the 2014 elections as well as in every state election thereafter wherever the BJP was the challenger, Modi had, in no uncertain terms, demanded an account of the incumbent government's performance. He would set the agenda and let the party in power respond. The strategy has been so successful that BJP is now in power in 17 out 29 Indian states. Instead of holding him to account for the last five years, his rivals are following Modi's lead in political rhetoric. This hollow, partisan, inconsequential, farcical political debate is a lost opportunity for the opposition. Over a 1,300 kilometres away from Mumbai in Gurgaon, Kabir (name changed on request), gets paid ₹15,000 for a 12-hour shift as a watchman. That's more than twice that of Imran, but it's still not enough for him to run a family comfortably. Kabir had seen the rhetoric around watchmen in India on news television and he saw hope. "The PM is one of us and he will improve our working conditions after he wins the elections," he said. In the words of Emily Dickinson, hope is the thing with feathers. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elections-2019-latest-opinion-poll-pegs-unemployment-as-the-biggest-issue/articleshow/68475510.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Modi may not take the fall for rising unemployment in India, latest opinion poll shows</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/general-elections-2019-vvpat-how-to-verify-vote/articleshow/68475130.cms">Here’s how you can verify your vote using VVPAT</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/is-indias-2019-election-really-a-foregone-conclusion/articleshow/68423465.cms">Is India's 2019 election really a foregone conclusion?</a>

The humble security guard at the centre of India’s election debate is a sign that Modi is still setting the agenda

Extremely severe cyclone storm cyclone Fani, which hit Odisha coast near Puri on Friday morning at 08:00 hours , triggered heavy rains in parts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh, while gusty winds uprooted trees and electricity poles, officials said. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 About 20,000 people were shifted to 126 relief camps in Srikakulam district, where seven 'mandals' (blocks) are likely to be affected by the cyclone. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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In Pics: The devastation caused by Cyclone Fani in India’s East Coast

<ul><li>Hair stylist <keyword id="412368" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jawed-Habib">Jawed Habib</keyword> has joined the BJP in Delhi. </li><li>Habib joined the party and used the party’s current election slogan to say he’s now a “chowkidar.” </li></ul> Jawed Habib, a name synonymous with salons and hair styling in India, has now <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/politics/from-hair-chowkidar-to-countrys-chowkidar-jawed-habib-after-joining-bjp-2112787.html">joined</a> the Bharatiya Janata Party in the national capital Delhi. "I am happy to join the BJP as I have seen the changes brought in the country by Prime Minister Modi in the last five years. I think nobody should be ashamed of their background, when the prime minister is proud to state that he was a 'chaiwala' then why should I be ashamed of calling myself a 'nai' (barber),” Habib told the news agency, ANI, soon after his appointment. Calling himself a barber is a political statement, coming from 55-year old Habib. He studied French literature in Delhi and went on to build a salon empire in the country with outlets in over 24 states and 110 cities in India – a total of <a href="https://jawedhabib.co.in/company-profile/">846 </a>shops if those in Singapore and London are counted. On the other hand, being a barber in India allows at best a humble life for most. In India, the Nai community, whose members have traditionally been barbers, are members of the ‘Other Backward Class’. A striking history Jawed Habib’s political connections are way older than his candidature with the BJP. Habib’s grandfather used to work at the President’s office as a barber. He was also the official barber for Lord Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first Prime Minister. His father, too, was the official stylist at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President’s residence. Habib’s fame and success ensured that the family’s clout goes beyond its profession. Now, his political debut may enhance it further.

India’s most famous ‘barber’ with a striking family history joins team Modi

<ul><ul class="summary-list "><li>At least 207 people are dead and 450 others have been injured after a series of explosions hit churches and hotels in <keyword id="6355572" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="sri-lanka">Sri Lanka</keyword>.</li><li>The churches were bombed as worshippers attended Easter Sunday service.</li><li>The hotels targeted are among the most luxurious in Sri Lanka's capital. 35 foreigners have been killed, <a href="https://www.afp.com/en/news/15/blasts-sri-lanka-hotels-and-churches-kill-156-doc-1ft48d4">AFP cited hospital sources as saying</a>. Eight explosions in various locations have now been reported. </li></ul></ul>At least 207 people were killed in a series of blasts on Easter Sunday Blasts in Sri Lanka, targeting three churches and three hotels. As of 1 pm, more than 400 people were wounded and hospitalized, reported Reuters. 
 
 
 
 
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 AFP news agency quoting Sri Lankan Police said the toll in <keyword id="7550956" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sri-lanka-blasts">Sri Lanka blasts</keyword> had risen to 156, including 35 foreigners. The blasts took place at three churches located at Kochchikade, Negombo and Batticaloa. The three hotels that were targeted are located in Colombo, and include Shangri La Colombo, Cinnamon Grand Colombo, and Kingsbury Hotel, according to media reports. The Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has urged the people to remain strong and united in the tragic time. The Prime Minister is reportedly going to conduct a national security council meeting at his house. 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, in a special message read out on local news channels, has requested the people to remain calm and help the authorities in the investigation. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned the attack and said the country stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Indian President Ram Nath Kovind also condemned the attack. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 St. Sebastian’s church, which was among the target, posted pictures showing destructions and bloodshed after the blast on its Facebook Page and urged people to help. The post read “A bomb attack to our church please come and help if your family members are there” No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks. Several peace messages "Pray For Sri Lanka" were trending on social media. Messages and prayers also poured in from celebrities. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Former Sri Lankan captain of the cricket team, <keyword id="79577" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Angelo-Mathews">Angelo Mathews</keyword> in a recent tweet has requested people to not to believe in rumors. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 A travel advisory had been issued by the US embassy in Colombo advising citizens to follow local security instructions and “exercise extreme caution.” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday that she was in touch with the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo as six explosions hit churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, killing at least 20 people. "Colombo - I am in constant touch with Indian High Commissioner in Colombo. We are keeping a close watch on the situation," the Minister said in a tweet. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="golrizghahraman" handlename="Golriz Ghahraman" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1035120828780707840/PRgmSRXp_normal.jpg" favoritecount="121" retweetcount="22" status="Devastated for Sri Lanka, especially the targeted Christian community. In a nation who has seen so much violence an… https://t.co/a3297hWuYK" createdat="1555826450000" id="1119843413006774272"></div>
















	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="AJEnglish" handlename="Al Jazeera English" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/875638617606987776/YBOKib96_normal.jpg" favoritecount="595" retweetcount="614" status="BREAKING: Multiple blasts hit Sri Lanka churches and hotels on Easter Sunday https://t.co/3Xn6pRk0kU https://t.co/FHAHmOUr4N" createdat="1555824930000" id="1119837039392899073"></div>















 Helpline numbers for Indian citizens in need of assistance or who seek clarification are: +94777903082, +94112422788, +94112422789, +94777902082 and +94772234176. With IANS

You Searched For "chowkidar news" and got 4 results

The humble security guard at the centre of India’s election debate is a sign that Modi is still setting the agenda

Sriram Iyer

In Pics: The devastation caused by Cyclone Fani in India’s East Coast

Preeti Soni

India’s most famous ‘barber’ with a striking family history joins team Modi

Sanchita Dash

Easter Sunday Blasts: Deadly explosion kills 207, Sri Lankan Prime Minister urges people to stay united and strong

BI India Bureau

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