JAIPUR: Obscene posters and hoardings targeting former MLA Mewaram Jain have sparked a major controversy in Congress. Jain had recently re-entered the party after being expelled last year over the alleged obscene CD and rape case. On Saturday morning, the posters appeared across Barmer, Baytu, and Balotra, featuring his obscene photograph. They carried the message: “Barmer is disgraced. Barmer’s Congress will not tolerate the disrespect of women. We will not accept rapists.
Jain, a three-term MLA from Barmer between 2008 and 2023, was expelled by Congress in January 2024 after a case under gang rape and the POCSO Act was filed against him in Jodhpur in December 2023. He claims his acquittal by the court paved the way for his “return home” to Congress.
The identity of those behind the posters remains uncertain, but sources say they reflect internal dissent. Some Congress leaders reportedly went to Delhi to register objections with the party’s high command. Baytu MLA and MP Congress in-charge Harish Chaudhary, known for opposing the return of Amin Khan earlier, is also said to be against Jain’s comeback.
Reacting to the posters, Mewaram Jain has also said, “Even after the court has given a clean chit, calling all this fake, my opponents have put up posters. This is despicable. I have lodged a police complaint. This is not BJP’s doing—everyone knows who is behind it. I will not be deterred. Even if they threaten or kill me, I will remain in the Congress.”
In a sharp statement, Jain further remarked, “Congress defeated Congress in the Assembly elections, which is why the party won only one of eight seats in Barmer-Jaisalmer. As for my character, conduct a narco-analysis on me and others—the truth will come out. Since rejoining, I have faced harassment through threatening calls. Who ordered this?”
Observers believe former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot played a crucial role in facilitating the re-entry of both leaders. While Chaudhary—considered close to Sachin Pilot—had built a stronghold in Barmer-Jaisalmer during elections, Gehlot appears to have reasserted his dominance after Jain’s and Khan's return.
However, following the uproar, district authorities and police began removing the posters early in the morning. Congress also distanced itself from the incident. Jaisalmer District Congress President clarified, “The party has no connection with these posters. We have demanded action from the Collector and SP against those responsible. Induction or expulsion is a collective party decision, not an individual one.”
Municipal Council Commissioner Surendra Singh Rajawat confirmed, “The posters have been removed, and action will be taken against those who put them up without permission.”
Meanwhile, the BJP has seized the opportunity to attack Congress. Former State Women’s Commission chairperson Suman Sharma alleged that the posters expose the party’s “true face” and called Congress “a party that insults women.”
Experts say the controversy has once again laid bare deep divisions within Congress, with local leadership fractured over morality, loyalty, and power struggles.