Politics in an eggshell

The JDS govt in Karnataka wanted to put eggs on the menu for mid-day meals but the BJP roots for milk or fruit

THE nutrition in eggs is not in question. But when the JDS government, led by HD Kumaraswamy wants to fix the menu for mid-day meals for children under a Central Government scheme, it must mind the preferences of its ally, the BJP. And the saffron Parivar wants milk or fruits, not eggs.

The project was to be launched on a small-scale in north Karnataka schools on January 23 but was temporarily put on hold on January 21 following protests by Hindu and Jain religious leaders. At a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, the government safely put off the choice of nutrition. 8220;The decision will be taken after the school examinations and before schools re-open on June 1,8221; Primary Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti said.

The mid-day meal menu has undergone several changes since the Chief Minister and Horatti first proposed the introduction of eggs in January. The JDS argued that the state produced 95 lakh eggs each day while the demand hovered around just 50 lakh hence it would be easy to supply to schools.

Pressure however began mounting against the JDS proposal from religious heads followed by BJP Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. The Deputy CM argued in favour of introducing milk or fruit in the diet instead. Kumaraswamy cut a swift U-turn. 8220;There has been widespread opposition to the move and we also are not in favour of it. If there is a need to give more nutritious food, milk can be includediquest;We have not yielded to pressure from seers or politicians. It involves a thinking to boost production of milk. If milk is supplied to schoolchildren under midday meal scheme, the demand for milk will increase and the state will witness a white revolution,8221; he explained.

His own brother, HD Revanna, minister and president of the Karnataka Milk Federation, threw in his bit, saying improving school infrastructure was more important. 8220;The supply of eggs or milk will benefit teachers and officials, not children,8221; he said.

Now, the egg seems on its way out and the state has discovered that it is not in a position to supply milk in schools due to the cost involved in providing packaged, processed milk. 8220;Each 100-ml tetra pack of processed milk costs Rs 5.50, we can afford only Rs 2 per child per week for nutritious food. There is some discussion on procuring milk around the schools, but this can lead to adulteration,8221; admitted Horatti.

Officials of the Women and Child Department and several Kannada literary figures have argued that the choice of nutrition should be left to the children. A survey by the Education Department had suggested that 97 per cent of children in schools wanted eggs as their weekly choice of nutrition.

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The government is waiting to find out what the BJP has to say to that.