india

Updated: Sep 04, 2019 18:11 IST

A fortnight after the Bengal government was left red-faced when children in a school in Hooghly were served rice and salt in their midday meal, it came under fire again from opposition parties after puffed rice and fried snacks were served in a primary school in Howrah district on Monday and Tuesday.

The latest incident was even more galling as it came less than 10 days after chief minister Mamata Banerjee had directed the administration to ensure frugal but nutritious meals for the students.

The incident took place at Jora Asshtotala Primary School of Bally, about 20 km away from Kolkata. There are about 100 students in the school.

Manas Chatterjee, headmaster of the school conceded that food was not cooked on Tuesday. “I was not present in the school on Monday. Food could not be cooked on Tuesday as there was some trouble with the gas oven. It has been sent for repair.”

The incident sparked off a blame game among political leaders.

“It has revealed the real picture of the midday meals in the state. A mockery is continuing in the name of nutritious food. Our chief minister is saying something else and the administration is trying to hide the real picture,” said Tushar Mukherjee, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and coordinator of the party in the western part of the state.

Arup Roy, minister and Trinamool Congress leader rubbished the allegations. “Why are you highlighting one or two aberrations? Our government has instructed the administration to take necessary action immediately if any problem related to midday meals come to light. The quality of food has increased during our rule.”

“Bengal is not Uttar Pradesh where someone recording a video of salt and roti served as midday meal would face police complaints,” added Roy.

Congress MLA Asit Mitra from Amta in Howrah district lashed out at the chief minister over the food served to the children.

“There is no difference between our state and Uttar Pradesh. While roti and salt were served in UP Bengal has settled for puffed rice and fried snacks. And the chief minister says that nutritious food is served in schools,” Mitra said.

On August 19, BJP’s Hooghly MP Locket Chatterjee kicked up a storm after hundreds of girls at a school in the district about 60 km from Kolkata were served rice and salt in their midday meal.

Chatterjee went to the school and lashed out at the state government accusing it of corruption.

While education minister Partha Chatterjee announced suspension of two teachers (of the school in Hooghly), on August 26 chief minister Mamata Banerjee, while speaking at an administrative review meeting in East Burdwan district, asked the district magistrates to ensure that rice, dal and vegetable were served to the students regularly.

Following the instructions of the chief minister, administrations in different districts have begun surveys and visits to schools to detect lapses in midday meals.