Indian journo probed over school meal expose

Authorities' attempt to charge an Indian journalist who exposed the poor quality of meals served at a government school triggered protests yesterday over fears of worsening press freedom in the country. Pawan Jaiswal made national headlines after reporting that impoverished primary school students in a district in Uttar Pradesh state were fed bread with salt instead of a mandated healthy meal. The report led to widespread criticism of the local government controlled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which responded by launching a criminal probe against Jaiswal. "It is a cruel and classic case of shooting the messenger," the Editors Guild of India said in a statement on Monday.