Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune news service
Chandigarh, December 22
Harpreet Singh, a farmer whose photograph was used by the Punjab BJP to build support for agricultural laws, has been sitting among protesting farmers on the Singhu border since the first week of December.
The poster that was used on the Punjab BJP Facebook page was removed after the uproar.
Harpreet Singh said: “I had fun First, but then he got mad. How can they be so insensitive? “He is involved in media projects that show the anguish of farmers, their drawbacks and their struggle. Photographs that Harpreet clicked on highlighting the protest have gone viral.
Harpreet Singh, known as ‘Harp Farmer’ among friends, has done his Master’s in Software Engineering from the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Pune. Based in his village, Nadalon in Hoshiarpur district, his family owns a 2 acre piece of land. “I know the pain of a small farmer. I am surprised and even more so with our comparison with the Khalistanis and the Maoists ”.
“I got a call last night from a friend in my town that the BJP was using my photo on their Facebook page. First I laughed, but then I was offended. How could they do it without my permission? In a lighter vein, the artist hasn’t even bothered to professionally edit my image. The artist has used it from my images on the Internet. ”
“I would like to ask the government if the farmers were happy why would they camp on the borders of Delhi? Why will the elderly, including women, endure the cold of shaky December? Why can’t the government just drop the farm laws and rethink? It’s an ego problem, nothing more, ”he said.
“If the government does not repeal the laws, we will not go home,” he said firmly.
“The BJP is trying to make the farmers’ agitation just a fight for MSP. This is not true. There are issues such as the future of farmers in our country, particularly as a result of the corporate margin of entry. There are many more. I can only say that despite the high claims, Narendra Modi is not with the farmers, ”said Harpreet.
A spokesman for the Punjab BJP, Janardhan Sharma said: “We will examine the matter. I will be back.”
