Faridkot farmer opposes use of ‘his photo’ in agriculture ordinance advertisement

Tribune News Service

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Faridkot, August 9

Two weeks after he had participated in a symbolic protest against the Centre’s farm ordinances, a farmer of Chandbaja village in Faridkot was shocked on Sunday when he found his photo making rounds on the social media in an advertisement of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.

In the advertisement, the ministry has used a photograph taken in October 2018, which shows the then Faridkot Deputy Commissioner Rajeev Prashar visiting the fields of farmer Gurpreet Singh Chandbaja during an anti-stubble burning campaign. Gurpreet Singh had not burnt the paddy stubble in his fields that time.

“The ministry has used this old photo in their advertisement in support of the new ordinances without my consent,” said Gurpreet Singh. “While I am strongly opposing the ordinances, amending the Essential Commodities Act, the ministry’s use of my photo in the advertisement has shown me in wrong light,” alleged Gurpreet Singh.

“Sharing my photo on the social media and in a promotional advertisement in favour of ordinances is an illegal act. The photo was taken on my field so no one can use it without my permission. It amounts to a violation of the Copyright Act. My permission should have been taken before publishing it,” claimed Gurpreet Singh.

“Moreover, the photo has nothing to do with the ordinances as it was taken about two years ago. It can be used for an anti-stubble burning campaign, but not for the cause I strongly oppose,” said Gurpreet Singh, claiming the Centre’s three ordinances were anti-farmers.