MP school gets steel plates after children seen eating on newspapers

Sheopur: A primary school in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district has got steel plates after a viral video showed its students having mid-day meal on a newspaper, drawing severe criticism, including from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

BJP leader and former state minister Ramniwas Rawat and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Abhishek Mishra joined the students of the government school in Hullapur under the Vijaypur block and ate mid-day meal with them on Saturday.

A video posted on social media showed the Madhya Pradesh school premises spruced up and children enjoying their lunch on brand new stainless steel plates.

“Today, our entire team visited the spot and inspected the food. It was found that the meal was properly served on plates. I myself, along with public representatives, also ate the meal there,” Mishra told reporters on Saturday.

“In the same way, we are monitoring this matter to ensure that no such incident happens again,” he added.

विजयपुर के हुल्लपुर गाँव में बच्चों को कागज़ पर मध्यान्ह भोजन कराए जाने जैसी अमानवीय घटना से मन अत्यंत दुखी है।
जांच में पाया गया कि विद्यालय में पूर्व से ही भोजन कराने हेतु बर्तन उपलब्ध थे, जिन्हें उपयोग में नहीं लाया जा रहा था — यह अत्यंत निंदनीय है।
(1/3) pic.twitter.com/ktTz5bJLMw

— Ramniwas Rawat (@rawat_ramniwas) November 8, 2025

The video of food served on newspapers went viral on Tuesday, following which the authorities on Friday cancelled the contract of the self-help group responsible for preparing meals and handed over the job to the school management committee, the official said.

A school in Madhya Pradesh is reportedly serving food on newspapers instead of proper utensils. This is extremely shameful and unhygienic.
Requesting the concerned authorities to look into this matter on top priority and take immediate action in a war-footing manner pic.twitter.com/a47YrhKJy1

— sujithsukumar (@mottasoopi) November 9, 2025

While the school in charge, Bhogiram Dhakad, has been suspended, notices have been issued to two other staffers, he said.

Rahul Gandhi targets MP govt

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday shared a video on X of the school children having mid-day meal on newspaper and targeted the state and the central government over it.

He alleged that the ruling BJP’s “development” is just an illusion and the party’s real secret of coming to power is “vyavastha” (the system).

“These are the same innocent children on whose dreams the future of the country rests and they are not even getting a plate of dignity,” Gandhi said in his post in Hindi.

“Such a chief minister and prime minister should feel ashamed for nurturing the future of the country’s children in this pitiable state,” the Congress leader added.

आज मध्य प्रदेश जा रहा हूं।

और जब से ये खबर देखी है कि वहां बच्चों को मिड-डे मील अख़बार पर परोसा जा रहा है, दिल टूट सा गया है।

ये वही मासूम बच्चे हैं जिनके सपनों पर देश का भविष्य टिका है, और उन्हें इज़्ज़त की थाली तक नसीब नहीं।

20 साल से ज्यादा की BJP सरकार, और बच्चों की थाली… pic.twitter.com/ShQ2YttnIs

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 8, 2025

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