‘MP ajab hai’: Teacher found defecating in the open suspended for violating Swachh Bharat guidelines

Forceful imposition of Swachh Bharat Mission took its toll on a teacher’s job in Madhya Pradesh where authorities suspended a school teacher for open defecation on Monday.

Calling it an act that “amounted to misconduct by a government official,” District Education Officer (Ashoknagar) stated that the teacher violated the ambitious Swachh Bharat Mission, a flagship initiative of the Modi government.

“He is being suspended with immediate effect,” reads the order.

Teacher Mahendra Singh Yadav was posted in a government primary school in Budera village. He has been attached to Block Education Office after the suspension.

Mishra was quoted by PTI as saying, “In accordance with the directives of the district collector, the education department has suspended the assistant teacher for open defecation with immediate effect. He was found violating the government’s Swachh Bharat Mission.

According to local media, in June last year, teachers in Satna district were ordered to keep watch on people who defecate out in the open during morning and evening hours. Teachers were asked to take photos of such people on their mobile phones.

The Block Education Officer (BEO) had issued directions to constitute a six-member committee of teachers for implementation of the order.

In another case of forceful imposition of Swachh Bharat Mission, three villagers were sent to jail in Harda district last year. In Raisen district, thirteen families were slapped with a fine of ₹4 lakh collectively for open defecation.

The action was taken against them under section 151 of CrPc (Arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences) for speaking against the ‘open defecation-free’ campaign, officials said.

Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Barwani had sent a youth to jail after he was caught defecating in the open in Jalgaon last year.

The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2014, with the goal of making India clean and free of open defecation by 2019.

(With input from PTI)