NEW DELHI: The Press Council of India has sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh government for registering a case against a journalist for his report that rotis and salt were being served to children at a school in Mirzapur.
PCI chairman Chandramauli Kumar Prasad has "noted with concern" reports of filing of an FIR against journalist Pawan Jaiswal for reporting on mid-day meal issue in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district.
Taking suo-motu cognisance of the issue, a report on fact of the case has been called for from the state government.
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"A fact finding committee has also been constituted to look into the matter," the PCI said in a statement.
The Press Association also strongly condemned the arbitrary action by the Uttar Pradesh administration in the matter, saying it takes strong objection to this kind of "witch hunt" against a journalist discharging his professional responsibility.
"Instead of correcting the anomaly in the implementation of mid-day meal scheme, a highly publicised government measure, the district administration in Mirzapur chose to silence the voice of the media by filing criminal cases against the journalist," the Press Association said in a statement.
On Monday, the Editors Guild of India also condemned the incident and described it as "cruel" and a "classic case of shooting the messenger".