Varanasi village says no to ‘chor’, yes to ‘Chowkidar’

Varanasi, May 8 (IANS) Kakarhiya village in Varanasi district is sending a message that is loud and clear to the opposition parties.

Posters screaming "Yeh chowkidaron ka gaon hai, yahan choron ka aana varjit hai" (This is a village of chowkidars and the entry of thieves is banned) have come up in the village.

Kakarhiya village had been adopted by Prime minister Narendra Modi in October 2017 under the Adarsh Gram Yojana. Development that has taken place after the village was adopted has changed the life of the villagers.

"We now have roads, proper sanitation, toilets and electricity. What more do we want? We will not allow anyone who is against Modi to enter the village and campaign. For us, it is Modi all the way," says Kartik Kashyap, an undergraduate.

The posters, according to sources, have already had the desired impact and some other villages like Jayapur that was one of the first villages to be adopted by the Prime Minister, are planning to put up similar posters.

Opposition parties, including the Congress and the SP-BSP alliance, have not yet announced any meeting in these villages.

"Hum kisi ko meeting nahin karne denge" (We will not allow any meeting here), says Ramu Lal, a local.

He adds: "Jo chowkidar ko chor kehte hain, wo khud chor hai. Hum sab chowkidar hain" (Those who claim that 'chowkidar chor hai' are thieves themselves. We are all chowkidars).