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Kids' health held hostage by politics in Indian state's plan to give malnourished children eggs

Indian state's plan to give malnourished children eggs is opposed by groups which say it is against religious beliefs

Madhya Pradesh state is ramping up its campaign against malnutrition by serving eggs in anganwadis, or government childcare centre, but the proposed move has been opposed by some political and religious groups.
Children eating their frugal lunch of watery potato gravy, accompanied by rice, that the state offers at the local anganwadi and primary school in Madhya Pradesh state in its attempt to curb endemic child malnutrition.
Children eating their frugal lunch of watery potato gravy, accompanied by rice, that the state offers at the local anganwadi and primary school in Madhya Pradesh state in its attempt to curb endemic child malnutrition. ST PHOTO: DEBARSHI DASGUPTA
Ms Gayatri Kol, with her one-year-old daughter Rashi, in Mahilokhar. Rashi is malnourished and undergoing treatment for pneumonia. Ms Gayatri says her family cannot afford eggs and must survive on government subsidised rations and whatever they can l
Ms Gayatri Kol, with her one-year-old daughter Rashi, in Mahilokhar. Rashi is malnourished and undergoing treatment for pneumonia. Ms Gayatri says her family cannot afford eggs and must survive on government subsidised rations and whatever they can lay their hands on. ST PHOTO: DEBARSHI DASGUPTA
Lunch being prepared at the common kitchen for the local anganwadi and primary school in Mahilokhar.
Lunch being prepared at the common kitchen for the local anganwadi and primary school in Mahilokhar. ST PHOTO: DEBARSHI DASGUPTA
Children washing their plates after eating their lunch at the local school and anganwadi in Mahilokhar.
Children washing their plates after eating their lunch at the local school and anganwadi in Mahilokhar. ST PHOTO: DEBARSHI DASGUPTA
Left :AASKA KOL, SIX: Aaska Kol is a pupil at the local government childcare centre, or anganwadi, in Mahilokhar. While she eats eggs, her family is not able to afford them often. Right: NIKHIL YADAV, EIGHT Nikhil Yadav is a pupil at the government p
Left :AASKA KOL, SIX: Aaska Kol is a pupil at the local government childcare centre, or anganwadi, in Mahilokhar. While she eats eggs, her family is not able to afford them often. Right: NIKHIL YADAV, EIGHT Nikhil Yadav is a pupil at the government primary school in Mahilokhar. He says he would like it if eggs were served at school. Seven out of the 10 children in his class eat eggs at home, but not as often as they would like, because of widespread poverty in the region. ST PHOTO: DEBARSHI DASGUPTA
NANHELAL KOL AND FAMILY: Mr Nanhelal Kol with his wife and daughters, aged two and five, outside their home in Mahilokhar. He works as a daily wage worker in different cities and earns just enough to keep his family afloat. He would like his daughter
NANHELAL KOL AND FAMILY: Mr Nanhelal Kol with his wife and daughters, aged two and five, outside their home in Mahilokhar. He works as a daily wage worker in different cities and earns just enough to keep his family afloat. He would like his daughters to have eggs for better nourishment. ST PHOTO: DEBARSHI DASGUPTA
Debarshi Dasgupta India Correspondent In Mahilokhar (Madhya Pradesh)
Published: 
Jan 7, 2020, 5:00 am SGT
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Aaska Kol, a six-year-old girl, runs her fingers over the dregs of a watery potato gravy on her plate. The tribal Kol girl licks them clean and repeats the process longingly several times over.

This frugal lunch, accompanied by rice, is what the state offers her at the local anganwadi (government childcare centre) in this village in Madhya Pradesh state in its attempt to curb endemic child malnutrition.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 07, 2020, with the headline 'Kids' health held hostage by politics'. Subscribe
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