Kanpur Dehat: 3 journalists booked over ‘fake news’

Videos of the students performing yoga and exercises in the cold at the government event in Eco Park have been shared widely on social media. They were wearing shorts and half shirts. State technology minister Ajit Singh Pal, and other MLAs and officials attended the event.

In his complaint, based on which the FIR was registered, Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Sunil Dutt wrote, “In the programme, students from the Basic Shiksha Department’s Upper Primary School, Sarsi, under the Akbarpur Block performed yoga and other physical exercises. Mr Mohit Kashyap, Amit Singh and Yasin Ali without even being present at the event made unfitting comments and spread news that the children shivered while the DM and the BSA were busy at the event. It is not possible to yoga in warm clothes and one needs loose clothes for it naturally…The students had taken off the warm clothes and put on loose clothes during the exercise and yoga and had later on worn warm clothes. The three spread the news through their channel without being present there and without checking the facts. This has resulted in the students, teachers and yoga guru’s feelings being hurt. There is anger among the students over the incident. When I spoke to the journalist over the phone, Mohit Kashyap said they have done what they had to do and that I can do what I want.”

District Magistrate Dinesh Chandra Singh told reporters, “I am sad that some journalists who were not even present here have circulated such information that the pupils were shivering due to the cold.”

Praising the school students, he said no one can do yoga in winter wear. “You can see now that children are wearing sweaters. I am seeing who has circulated this news and action will be taken,” he added.

Inspector Tulsi Ram Pandey said that the journalists were booked under IPC sections 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 506 (criminal intimidation).