Sushma Swaraj explains why she prefixed 'chowkidar' to her name

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on March 30 said she prefixed 'chowkidar' to her name on Twitter as she was doing "chowkidari" of Indian interests and Indian nationals abroad.

Asked by a Twitter user why she, being the foreign minister and the "most sensible" BJP leader, had added the 'chowkidar' prefix to her name on the microblogging site, Swaraj tweeted, "Because I am doing Chowkidari of Indian interests and Indian nationals abroad."

Because I am doing Chowkidari of Indian interests and Indian nationals abroad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the "Main Bhi Chowkidar" (I too am a watchman) campaign to blunt the Congress's "Chowkidar Chor Hai" (the watchman is a thief) jibe at him.

He had prefixed his Twitter handle with 'chowkidar' and almost all BJP leaders and Union ministers including Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Nirmala Sitharaman followed suit.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been targeting Modi over alleged irregularities in the Rafale fighter jet deal. He has often used the "Chowkidar Chor Hai" slogan while accusing the prime minister of wrongdoings in the deal.