Viral Video: Outrage Erupts Over Madhya Pradesh School Serving Mid-Day Meals on Scrap Paper

VIRAL VIDEO-  A shocking video of underprivileged children in a remote government school in Madhya Pradesh eating their mid-day meals off pieces of scrap newspaper has ignited widespread public fury and political backlash, exposing glaring lapses in the state’s flagship nutrition program.

The incident unfolded on November 6 at the government primary school in Hullpur village, under the Vijaypur block of Sheopur district, where young students were seen seated on the bare floor outside the school building, devoid of any shelter or supervision.

In the footage, a woman from a local self-help group—tasked with meal preparation and serving—dispensed portions of potato gravy and other items directly onto small scraps of old newspaper and makeshift leaf bowls, as utensils remained uncleaned.The absence of the school principal and teaching staff during the serving further compounded the unhygienic and undignified conditions.

Also Read- Youth Congress Holds Dramatic Protest in Delhi Alleging “Vote Theft” in Haryana Assembly Polls

The viral clip, which rapidly spread across social media platforms, has drawn sharp condemnation from opposition leaders and netizens alike, highlighting systemic failures in the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM Poshan) scheme—a central government initiative aimed at providing hygienic, nutritious meals to over 100 million schoolchildren nationwide to combat malnutrition and boost attendance.

Also Read- ‘Brazilian Model’ Voter ID Mystery Rocks Haryana Polls: Rahul Gandhi’s Shocking Revelation

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who shared the video on X while en route to the state, lambasted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in a poignant post: “I am heading to Madhya Pradesh today. And ever since I saw this news that children there are being served mid-day meals on newspapers, my heart is broken.

These are the same innocent children on whose dreams the future of the country rests and they are not even getting a plate of dignity. More than 20 years of BJP government and they have even stolen the plates of children—their ‘development’ is just an illusion, the real secret to coming to power is ‘the system’.

Such a chief minister and prime minister should feel ashamed for nurturing the future of the country’s children in this pitiable state.”

Also Read- Assam Police Bust Kidney Racket in Nagaon

Gandhi’s remarks underscore the opposition’s narrative of neglect under BJP rule, especially poignant given the party’s 2023 assembly election promises to enhance mid-day meal quality, including proposals for tetra-packed milk and balanced nutrition.

Local authorities swiftly responded to the uproar. Sheopur District Collector Arpit Verma ordered an immediate probe by Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Abhishek Mishra, which confirmed negligence by the cooking staff and the principal’s unexplained absence.

Verma, expressing dismay, stated, “This kind of behaviour towards children is completely unacceptable. Such inhumanity will not be tolerated at any level in the future.”

In decisive action, the contract of the implicated self-help group was terminated, and school in-charge principal Bhogaram Dhakad was suspended on the spot.

Notices have been issued to block-level education officers for a detailed inquiry, with meal responsibilities temporarily shifted to the adjacent secondary school principal until a new group is onboarded. The Jila Panchayat CEO has been directed to scrutinize all self-help groups statewide to prevent recurrences, amid warnings of stringent penalties.

This episode comes against a backdrop of uneven implementation in Madhya Pradesh, where government data reveals that on November 6 alone, mid-day meals reached 87,567 of the state’s 88,299 schools, leaving 732 institutions—potentially including Hullpur—without proper provisions.

Critics argue that such oversights not only undermine child health but also erode trust in welfare schemes meant to uplift the most vulnerable. As investigations continue, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges in bridging the gap between policy intent and on-ground execution in India’s vast public education system.

Parents and activists in Sheopur have called for immediate audits and enhanced monitoring, vowing to keep the pressure on until “every child gets a plate of dignity.”