Congress leader criticizes government after children in Sheopur served meals on scrap paper, calling development an illusion.
Published on: November 09, 2025
By: BTNI
Location: Sheopur, India
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government after images and videos from Sheopur district surfaced on social media, showing school children reportedly being served mid-day meals on scrap or waste paper instead of proper plates. Gandhi termed the situation as a “failure of governance” and said that such incidents expose the gap between claims of development and the ground reality.
The visuals, which gained widespread attention online, led to public outrage, with several users questioning basic facilities provided to children under government welfare schemes. The mid-day meal programme is meant to provide nutritious food to school-going children and is considered a key initiative aimed at improving student health and attendance rates.
Responding to the situation, Rahul Gandhi posted a public statement criticizing the ruling government. He said that if children are forced to eat meals in such conditions, then the claims of prosperity and development are misleading. He added that ensuring dignity, hygiene, and proper nutrition for students should be the government’s priority.
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Local officials in Sheopur have acknowledged the circulation of the images and have initiated an inquiry to determine how and why meals were served in this manner. According to preliminary administrative remarks, district authorities have sought clarification from school staff and contractors responsible for the food supply arrangement. Officials stated that if negligence is confirmed, necessary corrective action will be taken.
The incident has reignited discussions around the implementation of the mid-day meal scheme in various districts across India. Issues such as irregular supply of food materials, lack of serving utensils, and inadequate monitoring have been raised repeatedly by activists and education welfare observers in recent years.
Political reactions have also followed along expected lines. While the opposition has pointed to this as evidence of poor administration, BJP leaders have responded by stating that the government has consistently worked to improve school nutrition infrastructure and that isolated incidents should not be politicized before investigations are complete.
Residents and parents in the affected area have expressed concern and demanded that children receive meals in safe and hygienic conditions. Community members also stated that they expect accountability and improvement rather than merely temporary reactions.
The inquiry into the matter is currently underway, and officials have assured that further updates will be made public after the findings are reviewed.
