UP Govt's Nutritious Diet Plan Goes for a Toss as Children Found Eating Roti-Salt in Mirzapur School

Lucknow: After West Bengal, the Uttar Pradesh government is facing the heat over a widely-shared video in which primary school students are seen eating salt and roti for the mid-day meal.

In the video, around 100 students of a government primary school in Mirzapur district’s Siyur village were only served a paltry meal of salt and roti. “The issue has come to our notice and an enquiry was ordered in the issue. After the allegations of serving roti and salt were found true, two people Murari and Arvind Tripathi have been suspended and strict action will be taken further,” District Magistrate, Mirzapur, Anurag Patel said.

According to allegations levelled by the locals, the school had only been serving the children a paltry meal of salt and roti, and rice at times. The locals also alleged although the milk would be distributed to the school, it was never served to the children.

Congress general secretary hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government terming the situation a "condemnable" state of affairs.

“Salt and roti are being served to students in Mirzapur. This is the reality of Uttar Pradesh government’s state of affairs. At one hand the government facilities are deteriorating, such behavior with students is highly condemnable,” she tweeted.

Another Congress leader Laliteshpati Tripathi said, “The state government is to be blamed for the issue. The government schools in Mirzapur are witnessing the mid-day meal scam for quite some time and complaints have also been lodged. But nothing has been done by the state government in this regard.” He also demanded an independent inquiry.

Chief Minister Adityanath has ordered a probe into the incident and said that the guilty should be severely punished.

Satish Dwiwedi, the new minister for basic education, said that he had already initiated a probe as soon as the issue was brought to his notice.

(With inputs from agencies)