CHENNAI: State BJP president K Annamalai on Tuesday urged the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to continue preparing food for the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme in Amma Unavagam canteens, rather than awarding contracts to private parties.

“The breakfast scheme, which provides nutritious meals to over 65,000 students in more than 350 schools in Chennai, has been a cornerstone of the state’s efforts to promote education and welfare," Annamalai said in a statement.

However, he alleged that the ruling DMK government’s attempts to privatise the scheme would undermine its very purpose.

“The Amma Unavagams have been a lifeline for thousands of students and workers, providing them with a steady income and a sense of security," he said. “It is appalling that the ruling DMK government, despite allocating Rs 21 crore for the development of Amma Unavagams, is now attempting to sell out to private interests," he argued.

“The DMK government’s actions are a stark reminder of their penchant for drama and rhetoric over substance and governance," Annamalai said. “Their attempts to use the GCC and school children as pawns in their game of political one-upmanship are reprehensible and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms," he noted.