CHANDIGARH: In an embarrassment to BJP’s Punjab unit, a farmer whose photograph was used the party to promote the farms laws in its advertisements was found protesting at Singhu border.
Harpreet Singh, who has done his Masters in Software Engineering from the Indian Institute of Information Technology at Pune, said that he got a phone call from his friend that BJP has used his photograph on its Facebook page.
A poster with Harpreet Singh's picture appeared on the Punjab BJP's Facebook page.
After an uproar, the poster was removed.
"The Punjab BJP used my photo on its Facebook page," claimed Singh adding that it was an old photograph.
"I am sitting at the Singhu border," he said, adding that the BJP used his picture without seeking his permission.
What they have done is wrong, said Singh on his Facebook page.
"Nobody is happy with these Bills (farm Acts). The BJP-led government should come to the Singhu border and see for itself which farmer is in favour of these laws," he said.
The farmer from Nadalon village in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district said he had no idea regrading how the BJP used his picture which was clicked six years ago.
“How can they use my photograph without permission? I am thinking of taking legal action,’’ he said.
He said that the farmers were quite angry over the newly-enacted farm laws.
Singh, who is from Hoshiarpur district in Punjab, said the farmers had been speaking against these farm laws which the government says were in the interest of the farming community.
"We (farmers) will return only after getting these laws repealed," said Singh.
The party first tried to malign farmers by linking them with Khalistanis and Maoists and later used the photo in its campaign to show how only a small group of farmers are protesting, he said.
“If the farmers are happy with these laws, then why are they protesting at the Delhi borders?’’ he said, adding that he is camping at Singhu border since first week of December.
Meanwhile, when questioned about the use of the farmer's photograph, Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma said that he had also learnt about it.
"We will check it," he said.
(With PTI Inputs)