Fiery journo who exposed the Salt Roti being served to school children and jailed succumbed to dreaded cancer. RIP

A brave, fiery and dashing journalist of Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh who courageously exposed the corrupt administration of a government school in Shiur, Mirzapur in 2021 leading to suspension of some teachers involved in serving chapatis with salt to school children under the mid day scheme, committing a grave sin, succumbed to dreaded mouth cancer after battling it for several months.

A whistle blower Journalist Pawan Jaiswal, arbitrarily jailed for exposing the bad deeds of the school authorities under various sections viz 120 B, 186 and 420 though freed later on after the media blitzkrieg and intervention of Press Council of India, Editors Guild, Press Club of India and other media organisations the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had also ordered an impartial inquiry in the matter leading to suspension of some teachers of the school being complicit in the illegal mid Day meal serving Roti with salt to school children after the expose by the fiery journalist of a local newspaper titled “Janadesh Times”. Fighting his arbitrary arrest the fiery journalist was later on freed after being exonerated of all charges.

The victim of witch hunt and depression after being jailed for exposing the mid day meal controversy Pawan Jaiswal was diagnosed for mouth cancer and was under treatment for several days undergoing surgeries.

He was in dire need for financial help for medical treatment and had requested through his tweet tagging UP CM Yogi Adityanath, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi. In his tweet while requesting for help he wrote : I have pursued journalism with honesty during my life. Exposed the Salt Roti being served to children. But now I am losing hope. I am suffering from cancer and desperately need money for treatment. Please help. He had tagged his tweet to all the above three leaders. He had also tagged his pic with the throat and front portion of body with several stitches after surgery.

After fighting the battle with dreaded cancer, he finally met the tragic end. May his soul rest in peace. There have been umpteen messages of shock and condolences in social media by his friends, fraternity and admirers.

Late Pawan Jaiswal symbolises the true fighting spirit as a brave and selfless scribe with integrity to highlight people centric burning issues of the have nots, finally becoming the victim of political n administrative witch hunt and revenge resulting in sacrificing their precious lives.