Can't be a 'chowkidar' as I'm Brahmin: BJP MP Subramanian Swamy

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New Delhi: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has sparked controversy after he said that he can't be a 'chowkidar' (watchman) as he's a Brahmin. He made the comment while speaking to a Tamil television news channel Thanthi TV.

"I am not a 'chowkidar'. I am a Brahmin. So, I cannot become a chowkidar. I will give my opinion. And the chowkidar should work according to that," Swamy said on being asked why he was not a part of the BJP's 'chowkidar' campaign.

Frank ? ????????. Wish he campaigns for BJP in TN ?? pic.twitter.com/TkQCqbX66S

— Dhanapal (@balu_twits) March 24, 2019

Prominent BJP leaders have been adding 'Chowkidar' prefix to the names of their Twitter handles following the 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' trend ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

Senior party leaders including BJP president Amit Shah and Union Minister Piyush Goyal have switched their Twitter accounts' names to 'Chowkidar Amit Shah' and 'Chowkidar Piyush Goyal'.

The 'chowkidar' campaign was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had himself added the 'Chowkidar' prefix to the name of his Twitter handle and launched a video with the slogan - 'Mai Bhi Chowkidar'.

Kick-starting BJP's campaign for the general election, PM Modi shared a nearly four-minute video featuring the nation's cross-culture. The 'Mai Bhi Chowkidar' campaign was launched to counter the Congress' 'chowkidar chor hai' (The watchman is a thief) push.