‘Action against journalist by DM is unjustified’: UP BJP MLA

Earlier, a case was registered against the scribe who made the video of children being served chapatis and salt in mid-day meal at a primary school at Hinauta village here on August 22.

BJP MLA Surendra Singh on Wednesday stated that Mirzapur District Magistrate’s action against the journalist, who exposed the substandard mid-day meal at a primary school is “not justified”.

In this video still journalist Pawan Jaiswal, who had filmed students of a government school in eastern Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district eating rotis with salt as their mid-day meal, reiterates that he shot what he saw at the school in Mirzapur. Jaiswal has been booked for allegedly doing 'despicable work' of maligning the image of the Uttar Pradesh government by recording a video of school children being served salt and roti in midday meal. (PTI)

“The action by the officer is not justified. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has clearly said that social workers and journalists who deserve respect should be respected. I believe that the government will punish him for his version,” said Surendra Singh.

Mirzapur district magistrate Anurag Patel on Tuesday affirmed that the case against the journalist who made the video of children being served chapatis and salt in mid-day meal at a primary school here was warranted.

“He should have taken a snapshot of the incident and if he felt that there is some irregularity then he should have reported on it. This situation did not exist in the district for many days. It happened only on one day,” the DM had said.

Earlier, a case was registered against the scribe who made the video of children being served chapatis and salt in mid-day meal at a primary school at Hinauta village here on August 22.

District officials stated that upon enquiry it came to fore that the journalist allegedly “manipulated” the whole episode and hatched the conspiracy.

“The incident is of August 22. CDO, SDO and ADM conducted the enquiries and it was found that the Chapati and salt were given as a part of the conspiracy and the Journalist manipulated the whole episode. Subsequently, FIR is registered in the case,” said Prem Shankar Ram, Block Education Officer.

Meanwhile the journalist, Pawan told that he has been implicated after the case became “high-profile”.

“Government employees were suspended on the basis of the initial five enquiries in which my involvement was found nowhere. However, in the sixth enquiry, I was made accused. I went there to record the whole episode on the complaint of common public,” said Pawan who works with a local newspaper.

On August 22, children in a primary school in Hinauta village were served Chapatis and salt instead of vegetable or pulses along with milk and fruits for their lunch as part of the mid-day meal scheme.

After being intimated about it, district authorities called it “a serious lapse” and initiated an inquiry into the incident at Siyur primary school in Hinauta village.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)