In a significant development, the Rajasthan High Court has granted bail to Naresh Meena, who was arrested after protesting over the tragic school building collapse in Jhalawar. The incident, which took place on July 25, resulted in the death of seven children when part of a government school building collapsed following heavy rains.
During the hearing, Justice Ashok Kumar Jain’s bench questioned whether peaceful protests or sit-in demonstrations should be considered criminal acts. The court emphasized that protesting peacefully is a fundamental right and should not be treated as a crime.
Naresh Meena was first detained while protesting outside SRG Hospital, where injured students were being treated. His lawyers, Fatehram Meena and Rajneesh Gupta, argued that Naresh was only participating in a peaceful sit-in with local residents and was wrongly accused of disturbing peace.
The day after his arrest, the hospital’s medical superintendent filed a complaint accusing Naresh of obstructing medical services, including hampering ambulance movement and ICU staff. This led to his re-arrest on July 26.
The prosecution initially opposed bail, citing that Naresh had a criminal record, but his lawyers pointed out that he had already been acquitted in 12 cases, and the others were politically motivated. The government also mentioned that Naresh had previously been granted conditional bail in a violence case.
The court sharply questioned the basis of Naresh’s arrest, stating that criminalizing peaceful protests can undermine democratic rights. Ultimately, the court allowed Naresh Meena’s bail, ruling that peaceful protesting cannot be considered a crime.
This incident sparked widespread outrage across Jhalawar. People and political leaders have demanded accountability, blaming negligence for the school building’s collapse and criticizing Naresh’s arrest as an attempt to suppress dissent.
The Rajasthan High Court took suo motu notice of the tragedy, calling the school collapse “heart-wrenching” and highlighting the urgent need for action and accountability to prevent such tragedies in the future.
