On 29 September, Ashutosh Ranka, co‑convener of the Cockroach Janta Party, uploaded a grain‑stained clip from a Rajasthan government school. The footage shows discarded rotting vegetables and grains scattered across the kitchen floor—an alarming sight for any child’s lunchbox. Ranka pointed the camera at the Education Minister, Madan Dilawar, and asked, “Will Madan Dilawar feed the same food to his children as well?” The video has already trended on Twitter and Instagram, drawing crowds of outraged parents.
This is not the first time CJP has rattled the state’s education department. Over the past month, the party has conducted unannounced inspections in tribal districts, finding dilapidated classrooms, broken windows, and kitchens that violate basic sanitation norms. They launched a “School Thik Karo” drive, demanding that the government upgrade infrastructure and enforce food safety. Their latest video gives the campaign a fresh, visceral edge.
Mid‑day meals are a lifeline for millions of children in Rajasthan’s rural areas, and national data shows that 78% of students depend on the scheme. Previous scandals in other states have led to stricter monitoring by the Ministry of Education, yet on‑the‑ground abuses continue. Parents in the jungle of the Aravalli hills now fear that their children might be eating contaminated food.
The Rajasthan government has yet to issue a formal statement. The Education Department is reportedly convening an internal audit of the school’s kitchen, with a report due by 4 October. Meanwhile, CJP’s leadership is demanding a public hearing with Minister Dilawar, promising to push the issue into the state assembly.