A video showing schoolchildren eating mid-day meals served on newspapers in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district has triggered a political storm after Rahul Gandhi’s tweet condemning the incident, even as the State Government claimed it had already acted before his remarks.
The clip, reportedly filmed in Hullapur village, showed primary school students eating rice and lentils laid out on sheets of newspaper instead of clean utensils. The footage went viral on November 4, prompting criticism from parents, locals, and social media users. On Saturday morning, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and writing that both “should be ashamed.” His post quickly gained traction, turning the issue into a national talking point.
However, the Madhya Pradesh Government maintained that prompt action had already been taken well before Rahul Gandhi’s tweet. Officials said the Sheopur district administration and the Women and Child Development Department had conducted an inquiry and cancelled the registration of the Self-Help Group (SHG) responsible for preparing and distributing the meals on November 6, two days after the video surfaced online.
According to official records, a detailed inspection by the Block Education Officer confirmed that hygiene standards had been violated. The SHG’s contract under the mid-day meal programme was terminated immediately, and the group was barred from future Government food distribution work. The order also directed departmental proceedings against local supervisors who failed to monitor food safety.
District Collector Arpit Verma ordered inspections across all schools in the region to ensure meals are served in proper utensils and under sanitary conditions. Officials were instructed to provide fresh replacement meals the same day to all affected children.
Defending the state administration, Madhya Pradesh BJP media in-charge Ashish Agrawal said, “The video went viral on November 4, and by November 6, the Government had already taken action. Rahul Gandhi’s tweet came later. It’s unfortunate that political reactions are being made on an issue that was already addressed promptly.”
Officials described the incident as a case of negligence rather than deliberate misconduct but stressed that accountability would be fixed at every level. The Education Department has sought a comprehensive report from all districts within 48 hours to verify the implementation of mid-day meal hygiene norms statewide.
The episode has reignited debate over the management of welfare schemes in rural areas. While the opposition has accused the state of administrative indifference, Government officials insist their response was swift and corrective measures were taken before the controversy escalated.
The Sheopur administration said the situation has since normalised and that meals are now being served in proper utensils under close supervision.
