Mira Road school served notice over tiffin diktat

MUMBAI: The Thane district education authorities have issued a show-cause notice to the management of Seven Square Academy in Mira Road over its instructions to students not to consume, or carry in their tiffin boxes, certain food items during the Paryushan period, a Jain festival

MUMBAI: The Thane district education authorities have issued a show-cause notice to the management of Seven Square Academy in Mira Road over its instructions to students not to consume, or carry in their tiffin boxes, certain food items during the Paryushan period, a Jain festival.

The school was founded by BJP MLA Narendra Mehta, whose wife Suman is chairperson of the Seven Eleven Education Society that runs the school.

The circular was withdrawn by the school management after the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) protested the move.

Thane district education officer Devidas Mahajan said the school has students from different religions and communities on its rolls and imposing the practices of a particular religion on the students violates their rights.

The notice referred to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and said that pressuring students and placing restrictions on their food habits or for religious reasons is a violation of the law.

The notice also points to the School Code and said schools are public and secular institutions where students from all religions must be treated equally. The notice further referred to Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution, stating that students should not face discrimination based on their religious or cultural background.

The school management has to submit a written explanation within two days. Mehta did not respond to attempts to contact him for his comment.