New Delhi: Refusing to hold a broom for a photo-op for a cleanliness drive under the Swachh Bharat Mission, BJP’s MP from Bahraich, Savitri Bai Phule termed the exercise a publicity stunt, according to the Hindustan Times.

“I don’t want to just pose for the drive so I did not hold the broom. I am an elected member of parliament from a reserved seat. If I just hold the broom, will this place get cleaned? Karypalika aur Vidhayika ka mann pahle saaf hona chahiye samaj ke prati (The executive and the legislature should first have a clean heart towards the society)”, she told the newspaper.

The MP also emphasised that the government would be better served directing its efforts in providing employment to the youth, particularly those of the so-called lower castes and the Muslim community. She added that the cleanliness drives were being used to divert attention from the real issues that the country faces.

Also read: How Is Modi’s Swachh Bharat Dealing With the Public Health Crisis of Open Defecation?

Phule’s constituency Bahraich remains a poor performer under the Swachh Bharat Mission. Of a total of 1,054 villages, 810 have declared themselves open defecation free (ODF). However, as The Wire has pointed out, it only takes an unverified claim on paper to declare a village ODF. Of the 810 that have been declared ODF, only 97 or 11% have been verified ODF by the administration. The Wire has also reported that the verification process itself is not independent.