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Mira Road school rolls back tiffin diktat after backlash
The school, Seven Square Academy, had also stated in the circular that the canteen would serve food without onion, garlic, and potato during the festival, due to traditional practices associated with Paryushan
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MUMBAI: A school in Mira Road founded by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Narendra Mehta has withdrawn a circular instructing students to make sure their tiffins did not include edibles that included onion, garlic, potato and other “kanda-mool” vegetables during Paryushan, a Jain festival.
The school, Seven Square Academy, had also stated in the circular that the canteen would serve food without onion, garlic, and potato during the festival, due to traditional practices associated with Paryushan. The institution is run by the Seven Eleven Education Society, whose chairperson is the MLA’s wife, Suman.Mehta.
The circular, issued on September 8, was withdrawn following pressure from political parties, which pointed out that school managements could not decide what children could and could not eat.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) accused the school of imposing a religious practice on students from different communities. The MNS lodged a complaint with the state education department and the deputy director of education, seeking cancellation of the school’s licence.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, “Will these people decide whether Marathi people can live in Mumbai? Will they also decide what people should eat and what they should not eat?”
The circular has been withdrawn from the school’s portal. Mehta said, “We merely requested the parents, and we have been doing so for 16 years. This only happens because students share their tiffins and we are not against any food preference. It is only a request, and it is up to the parents.”
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