BENGALURU: Tejaswini, wife of former Union minister late Ananth Kumar, has kicked up a storm by suggesting that schoolchildren should not be provided eggs in mid-day meals and the diet should be only vegetarian.
Tejaswini, who runs Adamya Chetana, a facility that prepares meals for school kids said eggs fall into the category of non-vegetarian food.
She tweeted, “Why has our Karnataka govt decided to give eggs in mid-day meal? These are not the only source of nutrition. It is also exclusionary to many students who are vegetarians. Our policies are to be designed in such a way that every student has equal opportunity.’’
Her tweet came under heavy fire from many on social media. Also, defending children’s right to nutritional food, a group of nutritionists, activists, researchers, doctors and citizens of Karnataka have written to Chief Secretary Vandana Sharma on Tuesday demanding a nutritional diet.
‘Extend egg scheme to Classes 9, 10’
They have urged the authorities to include eggs in the diet. They urged the Chief Secretary to take steps to ensure the nutritional entitlements of the schoolchildren under the National Food Security Act 2013 and provided for by directions by the Supreme Court.
“Inclusion of eggs in the mid-day meal has been a consistent demand of schoolchildren and their parents. The propagation of one’s own religious practices is prohibited under the revised Guidelines 2017 in Mid Day Meal Scheme,” they said in the letter to CS, adding, “No one should discriminate in any manner on the basis of religion, caste and creed, and should not use the programme for propagation of any religious practice. We urge that eggs served under the mid-day meals should be extended to Class 9 and 10."
Tejaswini also tweeted, “Have worked with hundreds of government school teachers and students in the area of mid-day meals for close to 20 years. If the govt wants to provide eggs they should be given as a take-home ration along with other food and fruits or chikkis to non-egg eaters.”