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Hardly had the state recovered from the serial blasts at Mahabodhi temple premises, the Janata Dal (United) government finds itself politically plagued in the wake of a huge tragedy in Chhapra, where 25 children died after consuming poison-laced midday meal. As the tragedy sparked a political blame game, the JD (U) finds itself in the dock. Nevertheless, the moot question is: has the Congress decided to go soft on the Nitish government for political compulsions despite the scale of tragedy? The ludicrous logic of the grand old party is why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not react in such a manner earlier when a number of people were killed during a stampede during Chhat festival in Patna. Why did the BJP not raise 'loophole' issues earlier when they were participating in JD (U)-led government?
For the observers of Bihar politics, Nitish has long been viewed as a fairly good administrator of Bihar, but this poisoning lowered the sushasan (good governance) claim that the Chief Minister exhibited for over seven and a half years. “In fact, children dying after taking midday meal was unheard of even in the Lalu era,” remarked former state BJP minister Giriraj Singh.
For the observers of Bihar politics, Nitish has long been viewed as a fairly good administrator of Bihar, but this poisoning lowered the sushasan (good governance) claim that the Chief Minister exhibited for over seven and a half years. “In fact, children dying after taking midday meal was unheard of even in the Lalu era,” remarked former state BJP minister Giriraj Singh.
Ironically, the tragic death of poor children is turned into a political arm-wrestling game, with little attention paid to systemic changes that can prevent a recurrence. The appalling incident in Chhapra -- Saran district -- exposes the persistent neglect of primary school education in a large part of India.
The BJP said that the Chief Minister lost his grip on the government. "Perhaps the Bihar CM is spending too much time on politics," said senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad. He said he did not wish to score any points over the tragedy. There are whispers in the power corridors of the state that Nitish’s attention is now focused on survival of the government and preparing a future strategy to deal with the growing clout of Narendra Modi, the BJP and the RJD in the next general elections and he has not been able to concentrate on issues of governance with seriousness of late.
Bihar education minister Prashant Kumar Shahi has said the deaths were not due to food poisoning but it's a clear case of mixing poison in food. The minister dropped enough hints at the involvement of opposition RJD in the tragedy though he did not make any direct reference. He went on to add that Arjun Rai, the husband of the school headmistress Meena Devi, had supplied the food material for the midday meal. He is an active member of a party and cousin of local influential leader Dhruv Rai of Mashrakh block, who is close to a prominent leader of a party (RJD). Besides, the headmistress was posted at the school under pressure "from a particular party". The minister said: “Some people seem to be in a hurry to capture power anyhow and in persuading this ambition they are indulging in inhuman acts like the present tragedy.” Incidentally, RJD heavyweight Prabhunath Singh had defeated Shahi at the Maharajganj parliamentary seat covering parts of Saran and neighbouring Siwan district by a huge margin.
Lalu hit out at the remarks, alleging that by trying to politicise the issue, the JD(U) was diverting attention. “You are the government and it is the duty of your child development project officer to do quality check of food served in mid-day meal scheme ... Instead of performing the task sincerely you are blaming RJD?” Yadav asked.
On November 28, 2001, in a landmark order, the Supreme Court of India directed all state governments to introduce cooked mid-day meals in primary schools within six months. The apex court says: “The responsibility to monitor the implementation of the scheme essentially lies with the central government as it is the central government that is providing assistance.” In deprived areas where hunger is endemic, the midday meal scheme is a protection against hunger in general.
In March this year, the Human Resources Development (HRD) ministry had conveyed Bihar government that the food being served to children in schools was of poor quality and cooked in unhygienic conditions. “Children, parents and community members were not happy with quality of food,” said the ministry’s appraisal note for approving midday meal funds to Bihar for 2013-14. The mid-day meal scheme is world’s biggest food scheme in which every day 10.68 children in 12.12 lakh schools get cooked food. The scheme costing over Rs 11,000 crore in 2012-13 covers children till class VIII or upper primary level.
For the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the food security plan is likely to become a key poll plank on which the 2014 general election will be fought.
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FOOD FOR AFTERTHOUGHT
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Other incidents of midday meal gone wrong
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July 17, 2013: 15 have fallen ill due to food poisoning after eating midday meal at a school in Madhubani district in Bihar
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July 17, 2013: 31 of a school in Dhule, Maharashtra were admitted to a hospital after they ate the meal
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Nov 2009: 92 fall ill in after eating the meal in Delhi-run Shardasen Rajkiya Sarvodaya Vidyalaya
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Apr 2009: 31 fall ill after eating the meal in a school in Jal Vihar area of south Delhi
- Other incidents of food poisoning related to the meal have been reported from Kerala and West Bengal. Dead lizards, rats have often been the cause of such incidents
