Asserting that the initial reports and examination almost confirm that the mid-day meal food provided to the children at Chhapra was poisoned, Janata Dal United (JD-U) leader KC Tyagi said that this seems to be a political conspiracy to discredit Nitish Kumar Government by local outfits.
Making a statement here today, Tyagi said that once the authorities get the report on dead bodies after medical examination, there will be confirmation that poison was mixed in the food. " Secondly the cooking material used was bought by the headmistress from her husband's store who is a known leader of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)," he said.
He pointed out that the headmistress refused to taste the food before serving to the children.
"According to the regulations the headmistress is supposed to taste the food before giving to the children. She refused to do so. It seems to be a political conspiracy to discredit Nitish Kumar Government by the local outfits," he said.
Tyagi further added that those who are found guilty in this incident would not be spared.
According to reports, 23 children have died so far after eating a free mid-day meal at their school in Bihar's Chhapra district on July 16.
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More than 30 others are undergoing treatment at the Patna Medical College and Hospital. They were admitted to the hospital after consuming mid-day meals served to them at a government primary school in Dahrmasati village, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Mashrakh Block, about 25 kilometers from Chhapra on Tuesday.
The children are reportedly aged between 8 and 12 years. They fell ill soon after eating the meal, which consisted rice, pulses and soybeans.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.
Nitish Kumar has also announced a compensation of two lakh rupees each to the families of the deceased. The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has sent a senior official to Chhapra to take stock of the situation.