Azamgarh: Azamgarh district magistrate on Monday ordered a probe into the arrest of a journalist allegedly after he took photographs of some children mopping the floor in their school.
The journalist was arrested on false charges of extortion and obstructing public servants from discharging their duty, alleged a fellow journalist Sudhir Singh, who, along with other journalists met District magistrate N P Singh to apprise him of the alleged illegal arrest.
“No injustice will be meted out to the journalist. We will look into the matter,” said Azamgarh DM N P Singh.
Singh also ordered a probe into the matter.
Local journalist Santosh Jaiswal was arrested here last week on Friday after he took photographs of school children, mopping the floor and called up police to apprise them of the illegal practice by school authorities,” said Sudhir Singh.
Singh said the police, responding to Jaiswal’s call reached the school and took both the journalist and principal Radhey Shyam Yadav of the Oodpur primary school to the police station.
At the Phoolpur police station, the school principal lodged a complaint against Jaiswal on the basis of which an FIR was registered against him and he was arrested, said Singh.
The FIR No 237 registered on September 6, 2019 against the journalist quotes the school principal as saying that Jaiswal often visited the school and misbehaved with both male and female teachers and students and tried to persuade them to subscribe to the newspaper published by him.
Yadav said in the FIR that on the day of the incident Jaiswal came to the school and ordered some school children to mop the floor to facilitate him take their photographs.
Yadav said he objected to his act, following which Jaiswal fled the school premises leaving his vehicle there and later demanded money from him.
Sudhir Singh, who also met the Azamgarh district magistrate along with other journalists to complain against Jaiswal’s arrest, refuted the charges against the arrested journalist.
Also read: UP journalist booked for video showing students being served salt, chapati for midday meal
You should also report whether the school has a sweeper to do the job. It is possible that there is no sanctioned post, or the sweeper was ill and was on leave. Since it is UP, it is also possible that the school sweeper is forced to work in the house of the school principal or the village pradhan and children are asked to sweep. It is also possible that only scheduled caste children were asked to sweep. The journalist might not have focused on the caste of the children because Jaiswal himself is a member of an upper caste.
I seriously do not understand what is wrong with kids mopping floors. Kids should be taught that there is dignity in every small work that one does. That will imbibe respect for all and humility. This is important aspect if education. The western concept of child rights and human right is onesided and flawed