For security guards working long hours,
Pune: On March 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the #MainBhiChowkidar campaign to counter the opposition’s slogan, ‘chowkidar chor hai’ — an attempt to blunt the BJP’s promise to be gatekeepers of the country. But the thousands of online posts centred on the word ‘chowkidar’ has turned the national spotlight on security guards — vital staff who are often forced to work long hours with minimal pay.
Many scoffed at what they described as “gimmicks”.
“It’s all a gimmick by the parties. Nobody cares about the real chowkidars like me,” said 40-year-old Jyoti Prakash, who works two nine-hour shifts every day. “I work from from 7am to 4pm at a housing society and then from 5pm to 2am at a restaurant. I earn Rs 12,000 a month. People like us have to work hard for survival,” said Prakash, from Bihar’s Hajipur. Others wondered if political parties would ever help ease working conditions. “It’s amusing that the word ‘chowkidar’ has suddenly become important. But does anyone bother to even ask how I’m able to afford my two children’s education with a monthly pay of Rs 7,000?” asks Ramesh Yadav, whose family is back home in Lucknow.
“It’s all a gimmick by the parties. Nobody cares about the real chowkidars like me,” said 40-year-old Jyoti Prakash, who works two nine-hour shifts every day. “I work from from 7am to 4pm at a housing society and then from 5pm to 2am at a restaurant. I earn Rs 12,000 a month. People like us have to work hard for survival,” said Prakash, from Bihar’s Hajipur. Others wondered if political parties would ever help ease working conditions. “It’s amusing that the word ‘chowkidar’ has suddenly become important. But does anyone bother to even ask how I’m able to afford my two children’s education with a monthly pay of Rs 7,000?” asks Ramesh Yadav, whose family is back home in Lucknow.
“Chowkidar chor nahin hai, par pareshan hai. I work 12 hours for Rs 8,000 a month. I suffer a salary cut, even if I take a day’s leave,” said Bablu Singh (35), from West Bengal. He works as a security guard for a housing society in Kondhwa.
Others said the upcoming elections hold few promises.
“I try to earn extra cash by washing cars,” said 45-year-old Pankaj Shastri, who has a wife and a 10-month-old child.
“But I can’t even afford to go home. My cousins usurped our land and I have to reclaim it. Elections don’t really matter to me.” he said.
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