Bihar teachers protest over orders to take photos of open defecation

Teachers in Bihar are protesting against orders issued by block development officers (BDOs) in certain districts, asking them to stop people from defecating in the open and take photos of those found doing so. The teachers are calling the directive – part of the state’s Open Defecation Free (ODF) campaign – an “insult” to their job.

Teachers’ associations have said that while they support the ODF campaign, they find it “difficult” to comply with the instruction because it “insults teachers”, undermines “dignity” and could “endanger safety”, a report in The Indian Express said.

The state government’s order was issued for Muzaffarpur and Aurangabad, districts which are to be declared open defecation-free by December 31. In the November 18 directive, BDO Harimohan Kumar reportedly said: “Teachers concerned are hereby ordered that they will create awareness about ODF among villagers and guardians in their panchayat. Alongside, they will post photographs (of open defecation). Morning follow-up is scheduled between 6 am and 7 am and evening follow-up between 5 pm and 6 pm.”

Bihar Madhyamik Sikshak Sangh (BMSS) general secretary and former MP Shatrughan Prasad Singh has written to CM Nitish Kumar demanding withdrawal of the order.

A Muzaffarpur teacher was quoted as saying by the paper: “We were told to take pictures of open defecation. When we said that it could create a law-and-order problem, especially, if we were to take pictures of women or girls going for open defecation, there was no satisfactory response.”