The ongoing indefinite protest by mid-day meal cooks in Chhattisgarh took a tragic turn on Tuesday after two women participating in the agitation lost their lives. The incident has intensified outrage among workers, who have been demanding better wages, job security, and basic social protection from the state government.
One of the deceased, Dulari Yadav, was employed as a cook at a government primary school in Saldha village under Berla block of Bemetara district. She had been actively participating in the sit-in protest organized under the banner of the Chhattisgarh School Mid-Day Meal Cooks’ Union since December 29, 2025. During the protest, her health reportedly deteriorated. She was admitted to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital in Raipur on January 25, 2026, and later shifted to a private hospital, where she died during treatment.
The second victim, Rukmani Sinha, hailed from Kusumkasa village in Dondi block of Balod district. She was also part of the ongoing protest and passed away while the agitation was underway. The deaths have triggered widespread grief and anger among mid-day meal workers across the state.
Union Blames Government Apathy
State union president Ramraj alleged that the deaths were a direct consequence of prolonged government neglect. He said the cooks have been staging protests for weeks, demanding an increase in minimum wages, regularisation of services, and access to social security benefits, but their demands have gone unanswered.
According to the union, workers have been forced to continue the protest in harsh winter conditions, which has severely affected their health. Many fear that cold exposure, exhaustion, and physical weakness may have contributed to the deaths.
Living on ₹66 a Day
Mid-day meal cooks, most of whom are women, prepare meals for thousands of schoolchildren every day under the PM-POSHAN scheme. Despite their crucial role, they receive a daily honorarium of just ₹66, an amount even lower than standard daily wage labour. Most workers do not have health insurance, pension benefits, or any form of long-term social security.
“We work for extremely low pay, sit in protests in freezing weather, and still the government refuses to listen,” said one woman protester. “The death of our colleagues has only deepened our pain and resolve.”
Demands Grow Louder, Government Silent
Following the deaths, labour unions and civil society groups have stepped up pressure on the state government, demanding compensation for the bereaved families and immediate intervention to address the workers’ grievances. Protesters remain firm in their demand for higher wages, permanent appointments, and inclusion in social security schemes.
The prolonged agitation has disrupted mid-day meal services in several government schools across the state. Despite the protest continuing for more than three weeks and now claiming two lives, the Chhattisgarh government has yet to issue an official response.
