Justice Morcha Protests at Deoria DM Office Over School Infrastructure and FIR Against Activist
Activists associated with the youth forum Justice Morcha visited the District Magistrate office in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh, seeking improvements in basic school infrastructure and protesting legal action taken against an activist.
What Happened
On Monday, August 24, 2026, members of Justice Morcha gathered at the Deoria District Magistrate (DM) office. According to Abhinav Mishra, who is associated with the organisation, the District Magistrate left the premises shortly after activist Rajat Singh and his colleagues arrived to raise their grievances.
The demonstration followed an official complaint lodged against Rajat Singh on August 22, 2026. Deoria police booked Singh after he recorded the poor infrastructure of government schools on camera. The First Information Report (FIR) was registered following a written petition by Vinay Sheel Mishra, the Block Education Officer for Gauribazar.
Authorities booked Singh for allegedly entering a primary school in Damar Bishwa village within Gauribazar without authorization and circulating misinformation. The charges were filed under two provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): Section 329(4) for house-trespass, and Section 353(2) for circulating false statements, rumours, or alarming reports capable of creating feelings of enmity or hatred.
Key Highlights
- Administrative representation: Justice Morcha activists demonstrated at the Deoria DM office, urging administrative action on basic school infrastructure deficiencies.
- Criminal charges: Police filed an FIR against activist Rajat Singh under BNS sections 329(4) and 353(2) following a complaint by the Gauribazar Block Education Officer.
- Scrutiny of government programmes: The group questioned official claims regarding school progress and the ground-level implementation of the Kayakalp scheme.
- Opposition reaction: Senior Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Ajay Kumar ‘Lallu’ condemned the FIR, describing it as an effort to suppress youth voices.
Why This Matters
The situation highlights public friction regarding the implementation of state infrastructure programmes in primary education. Abhinav Mishra questioned Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s statements regarding improvements in state-run schools, asking whether the Kayakalp scheme was functioning purely on paper and demanding accountability for public fund management.
The case has also drawn political engagement. Senior Congress leader Ajay Kumar ‘Lallu’ opposed the police action against the activist. Lallu stated that approximately 25,000 schools have been shut down in Uttar Pradesh, with over one lakh closed nationally under the Bharatiya Janata Party administration, arguing that these closures directly affect students from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) communities.
What to Watch Next
Future developments depend on the police inquiry into the charges filed against Rajat Singh under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alongside any administrative reviews regarding school facilities in the Gauribazar area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was an FIR registered against activist Rajat Singh?
The FIR was registered after Gauribazar Block Education Officer Vinay Sheel Mishra filed a complaint alleging that Singh entered a primary school in Damar Bishwa village without authorization and spread misinformation after filming the school’s condition.
Which legal sections were applied in the case?
Police invoked Section 329(4) (house-trespass) and Section 353(2) (circulating false statements, rumours, or reports likely to promote enmity or hatred) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
What is Justice Morcha?
Justice Morcha is a youth-led forum that advocates for education and employment issues in Uttar Pradesh.
Source: Based on reporting originally published by The Hindu.