Rajasthan Farmer Branded Debtor In BJP Poster Turned Out To Be Landlord, Says His Picture ‘Misused’

Rajasthan farmer, Madhuram Jaipal of Jaisalmer said the BJP has misused his picture in the poster and urged the party to remove it at the earliest.

Jaisalmer: A major row erupted in Rajasthan on Friday after a farmer, who was depicted as a debtor and featured on a BJP poster which claimed thousands of farmers in the Congress-ruled state had lost their land for defaulting on loans, turned out to be a landlord who owns 120 acres of land.

The farmer, identified as 70-year-old Madhuram Jaipal of Jaisalmer said the BJP has misused his picture in the poster and urged the party to remove it at the earliest or face legal consequences.

Talking to a local Hindi daily, Madhuram said he has not taken any loan nor his land has auctioned. The farmer claimed that he owns around 120 acres of land and was never troubled by any debts.

Madhuram’s son also backed his father’s statement saying that the family’s land has never been auctioned nor do they have any debt.

He said he has asked the local BJP leaders to remove the photo, otherwise he will take legal action.

“We request the BJP to remove my father’s photo from the poster. People are making adverse comments on social media. Neither was our land auctioned nor do we have a debt. We are sitting in our farm,” said Madhuram’s son Jugtaram, according to news agency PTI.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot lashed out at the BJP over the issue, claiming that the saffron party stands “exposed”.

In Jaipur, Gehlot said the BJP wants to win the elections by telling lies.

“I have heard that the farmer has given them a befitting reply. He (farmer) said he will file a case as he was defamed,” the chief minister said, adding the BJP has been exposed.

The BJP has released the poster as part of its poll campaign ‘Nahi Sahega Rajasthan’. The poster, which shows the photo of a farmer and claims that the land of more than 19,000 farmers in Rajasthan was auctioned after they failed to repay their bank loans, has been plastered in several parts of the state.

Meanwhile, there was no immediate response from the BJP over the poster incident.

(With PTI inputs)