A protest rally, attended by thousands of mid-day meal workers from Haryana, took place on January 11 in Karnal. The rally was organised by the Mid Day Meal Workers Union Haryana (CITU).  The main demands were: increase in salaries, retirement benefits, and the assurance of permanent employment.

The workers expressed anger at the government exploiting their hard work. Approximately 30,000 mid-day meal workers in the state are dedicated to preparing food for school children. However, they neither receive the recognition of workers nor the mandated minimum wages. Moreover, the honorarium they receive is limited to only 10 months per year, and even this is subject to prolonged delays.

Leaders of the organisation highlighted the government's closure of numerous schools in the state as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy-2020. This move is jeopardising the employment of mid-day meal workers, ultimately depriving them of their livelihoods. Such actions are contributing to the exclusion of economically disadvantaged children from future educational opportunities. The Chirag Yojana scheme is also an extension of these detrimental policies.

Adding to their grievances, the mid-day meal workers lamented the lack of social security and retirement benefits, emphasizing that the government is eroding the public sector, particularly within the education system. The workers collectively called for the redressal of these issues to safeguard their rights and ensure the well-being of both the workers and the education sector as a whole.

The rally was addressed by Jai Bhagwan, national vice president of the Mid Day Meal Workers Federation, Saroj Dujana, Haryana president, Sharbati Devi, general secretary, Surekha, CITU state president, and Satveer Singh, CITU vice president. Others who addressed the gathering included Naresh, Sarv Karmchari Sangh Haryana state general secretary, Savita, Janwadi Mahila Samiti state president, Sunita, Asha Workers Union general secretary, Rupa Rana, Anganwadi Union leader, Baburam, Gramin Chowkidar Sabha state president, Jagmal Singh, All India Agriculture Workers Union Haryana president, Satpal Saini, CITU district president, Jagpal Rana, and several union leaders named Shimla, Gagandeep, Rajrani, Satyavan, Reena, Santosh, Om Prakash Mata, Sunita, Roshni, Nirmala, among others.

During their addresses, the leaders criticised the BJP-led central and state governments for their continuous assault on workers, farmers, and employees. They expressed concerns about the passage of four labour codes in parliament. The government is working for the benefit of capitalists, and is adopting policies that are anti-poor. In response to these challenges, the union decided to participate in a tractor/vehicle rally on January 26, following the call of national trade unions and farmer organisations. The union will be joining the worker-peasant National Resistance Day on February 16 and the Rohtak employees rally on February 4.

After the rally, thousands of workers marched towards the district secretariat, where chief minister's OSD Sanjay Bhattala was informed of their demands. The education minister extended an invitation for talks at the Haryana Secretariat on January 19. Union leaders cautioned that if the demands were not addressed during the talks on January 19, the forthcoming movement would adopt a more militant approach.