The opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a video surfaced on social media showing school children being served mid-day meals on papers instead of plates at a government-run primary school in Maihar district on Republic Day. State Congress president Jitu Patwari condemned the incident, calling it a stark example of the BJP government’s failure in implementing mid-day meal schemes. He emphasized that incidents like these not only disrespect the children but also undermine the principles of education and the Constitution.
Patwari highlighted the prevalence of malnutrition among children in the state, citing a National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report that revealed around 10 lakh children in Madhya Pradesh suffer from malnutrition, with 1.36 lakh facing severe malnourishment. He pointed out that despite official acknowledgment of widespread malnutrition and a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report exposing a nutritional food scam in the state, the situation remains dire.
The controversy erupted following the circulation of a viral video depicting students seated on the floor consuming halwa-puri served on torn pages from old notebooks and books. In response to the backlash over serving meals on paper, the district administration initiated disciplinary action against responsible officials after conducting an inquiry. A notification from the administration stated that the in-charge Principal of the Government High School, Sunil Kumar Tripathi, faces suspension based on the investigation report, while the salary of contract employee BRC Pradeep Singh has been deducted for one month.
