Children are shown eating rice and salt from the Mid-Day Meal Scheme while seated on the floor in the two-minute video, which was recorded at the elementary school by a student’s parent.
Uttar Pradesh: The Principal of government school in the Ayodhya district of Uttar Pradesh has been suspended after a video went viral showing kids being served nothing but rice mixed with salt as a meal. Action is being taken, according to the District Magistrate, and a thorough investigation will be conducted after. Children are shown eating rice and salt from the Mid-Day Meal Scheme while seated on the floor in the two-minute video, which was recorded at the elementary school by a student’s parent.
“The teacher refuses to take responsibility, and the pradhan (village head) also refuses. Who is responsible then?” says the person filming, his face not visible on camera. “You can see all these children are eating rice and salt. Who will want to send their children to such a school? Yogi baba (Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) should watch this video.”
The camera then pans to show a wall painted with the Mid Day Meal menu – milk, rotis, dal , vegetables and rice are listed. “Where does this menu say ‘rice-salt’?” the man adds.
A principal of a government primary school here was suspended after students were served rice with salt as mid-day meal, officials said on Wednesday. The incident at the government school in the district’s Bikapur Tehsil, they said, adding that a video of the incident showing students eating rice with salt was also widely shared on the social media. The parents of the students also staged a protest outside the school.
Ayodhya District Magistrate Nitish Kumar, said, “The incident took place on Tuesday. I have ordered an enquiry into the incident. “The enquiry will be conducted by Basic Siksha Adhikari (BSA). The principal has also been suspended.” Parents alleged that the students are forced to sit on sacks during mid-day meals. They further alleged that the students do not get mid-day meals according to the fixed menu and the principal of the school is often absent.
