The incident took place near a BJP rally venue in Ajmer on Sunday. (Screengrab) The incident took place near a BJP rally venue in Ajmer on Sunday. (Screengrab)

Rajasthan minister Shambhu Singh Khetasar has landed in a soup after a photograph of him urinating near a wall that had a poster of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje went viral on social media on Monday. The incident took place near a BJP rally venue in Ajmer on Sunday.

Khatesar, who is the chairman of Rajasthan State Seeds Corporation, brazenly defended himself, saying urinating in the open was “an age-old tradition” and also claimed that urination alone dosen’t contribute to uncleanliness. The minister’s remarks come at a time when 27 out of 33 districts in Rajasthan have been declared open-defecation free, according to data on the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) site.

“As far as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is concerned, urination alone doesn’t contribute to uncleanliness,” ANI quoted Khetsar as saying. The minister also denied relieving himself near a BJP poster, saying it was at a distance and he didn’t pay attention.

He also reasoned that he was forced to urinate in the open as there was no urinal nearby for kilometres at a stretch and he had a busy morning due to the election rally. “That place did not have urinals for kilometres at a stretch. There was a wall and some posters stuck at some distance on it. I hadn’t paid attention,” he said.

Khetasar also said his actions didn’t flout Narendra Modi government’s Clean India Mission as urinating in a secluded area was not an issue. “It isn’t right to urinate in open but it’s a nature’s call. Urinating in a crowded area is wrong as it causes diseases,” he said.

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