The inclusion of eggs in midday meals has become a matter of contention yet again, with Lingayat seers now protesting against providing eggs to students. In a viral video, a girl from Gangavathi in Koppal district is heard lashing out at the seers for attempting to deny nutritious food to poor children.
In the video, she can be heard goading the seers that they will come and eat eggs at the mutt of the seers if eggs aren’t allowed in midday meals. “Do you feel this is good? Do you feel it's good if this is done to your children? We need eggs and bananas. If not, we will come to your mutt and eat eggs there. You want that? Not one, we will eat two. Who are you to tell? Haven't we eaten eggs, taken a bath and prayed to you? Haven't we donated to your mutt? In that case why do you eat with our money? Throw away that money. Or give us that money, we will eat,” the girl says.
She goes on to add that they won’t know the plight of the poor. “We go to government schools because there is poverty in our homes. Don't think less of us, we will come to your mutt and sit there. If all students from Gangavathi come your mutt will not remain. You will not have an inch of space in your mutt if we come, that's how many students there are,” she added.
Last month, the Karnataka government had decided to provide eggs to students along with mid day meals. On November 23, the government announced that eggs would be provided to students in seven districts - Bidar, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Koppal, Ballari and Vijayapura - to combat malnutrition.
#eggs in #midday #meal in #Karnataka. While seers and some politicians of ruling party are against the idea of serving eggs in mid day meal. A girl student from #Koppal's #Gangavathi demanding eggs to be served to them is going viral. pic.twitter.com/kElgisC8BC
— Imran Khan (@KeypadGuerilla) December 12, 2021
However, following this, seers belonging to the Lingayat and the Brahmin community opposed the move. Speaking to TV9, Pejavara Mutt seer stated, “Children will not have understanding (of what to eat and what not to). What food practice had come traditionally shouldn’t be changed. Giving eggs in school is not good for society. School is for teaching, not changing the lifestyle.”
Lingayat seer Channabasavananda Swamiji had said that schools will become military canteens if eggs are served and that grains and pulses should be given instead. He had also warned of a much severe protest if it is not withdrawn.
Several activists, however, have urged Education Minister BC Nagesh not to change the decision from the religious organisations.