Protest erupts after journalist booked for mid-day meal coverage in Mirzapur

Journalists on Tuesday staged a protest after a case was registered against their fellow colleague, Pawan who made the video of children being served chapatis and salt in mid-day meal at a primary school at Hinauta village.

The protest took place at the Commissioner's office here on Tuesday.

"Our only demand from the Commissioner is to withdraw the FIR filed against our colleague. We will continue the protest until appropriate action is taken. Journalists are here to give out news and we are only doing our job. There was no need to file a case," said a protestor Mukesh Pandey.

Education Minister, Satish Dwivedi told ANI, "I want to give a message to people that any negligence on student's food or clothing will not be tolerated. As soon as I was reported about the incident of students being served chapati and salt, an investigation was conducted on all the suspected authority members. Detailed investigation, in this case, is yet to take place."

"I got to know that the District Magistrate had conducted an enquiry and it was found that the chapati and salt were given as a part of the conspiracy and the journalist manipulated the whole episode," Dwivedi added.

"No decision will be taken until we investigate," he added.

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

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. A teacher was also suspended in this regard.

The administration had reportedly registered an FIR against people who were allegedly involved in the incident.