PM slams Rahul over 'woman' remark; calls himself 'chowkidar' who can nab wrongdoer even in dark

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday tore into Congress president Rahul Gandhi for saying he made 'a woman' defend him in Parliament over the Rafale deal, a reference to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, terming the remark as an insult to all women in the country.

Mounting a fresh offensive against the Congress as well as the SP and the BSP in rallies in Solapur in Maharashtra and Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Modi also called himself a chowkidar(watchman) who can pick a wrongdoer even in darkness in his fight against corruption.

Modi said his "safai" (clean-up) mission to uproot corruption has made the opposition parties scared of the chowkidar that even arch rivals SP and the BSP are coming together to throw him out of power. Modi referred to himself by the term 'chowkidar' Rahul Gandhi often uses while targeting the prime minister.

Calling Modi a prime minister who claimed to have a broad chest, Gandhi said he had "run away" from the debate in Parliament on the Rafale deal last week.

The watchman with a 56-inch chest ran away and told a woman, Sitharaman ji, defend me. I won't be able to defend myself, defend me, Gandhi said at a farmers' rally in Jaipur.

In his public meeting a few hours later in Agra, Modi accused Congress leaders of insulting all women in the country.

Modi said Sitharaman had floored the Opposition in the Lok Sabha by coming up with "fact after fact" on the Rafale deal.

"They are bent upon insulting a woman defence minister," he said, without naming Gandhi.

"This is not an insult to a woman, but an insult to entire India's women power, for which these irresponsible leaders will have to pay the price."
"The investigating agencies are seeking an answer from them of their misdeeds and so they are conspiring against the chowkidar...," Modi said, alleging they have now started a cooperation campaign in corruption,