Leaders of the Andhra Pradesh State committee of the Students’ Federation of India have strongly condemned the remarks made by Telugu scholar Garikapati Narasimha Rao on the mid-day meal scheme, terming them arrogant and insensitive.
In a statement, the federation’s State president P. Rammohan and secretary K. Prasanna Kumar said that making such remarks about the mid-day meal served to children from economically poor families was unpardonable. They demanded that Mr. Rao withdraw his comments and issue an apology.
They asserted that several studies had shown that the mid-day meal scheme had helped governments improve student enrolment in schools and reduce dropout rates. They said Mr. Rao’s claim that children attended school only for eggs, and that education had become meaningless, was a direct insult to the dignity of young learners and their families.
Referring to the high levels of malnutrition among families below the poverty line across the country, the student leaders said it was inappropriate to criticise a system that provides food, books and uniforms to children.
Leaders of the Kula Vyatireka Porata Samithi also criticised Mr. Rao’s remarks, stating that he appeared to be blinded by pride and should apologise to the schoolchildren he had spoken about in a derogatory manner.
