Following a complaint that a student was fined 20 rupees for bringing a vegetable dish with mint in their lunch box, the Education Department of Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation sent a notice to Tapovan School in Bhaindre demanding an explanation. This incident sparked public debate regarding the restrictions imposed by the school on student nutrition.
A Maharashtra representative, Navnirman Sena Robert Disuja, filed a complaint with the municipal administration. According to him, most students at this school belong to the Jain community, and upon admission, parents are instructed not to bring meat products or root vegetables in lunch boxes. The complaint specifically concerned the 20 rupee fine for bringing mint.
Taking the complaint into consideration, the Education Department of Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation issued an official notification to the school. It emphasized that the school has no right to impose such dietary restrictions on students, and charging fees for brought food is a serious violation. The municipality also clarified that such actions may violate the fundamental rights and the right to education of the students.
A similar dispute previously arose at a school on Mira Road when a decision was made to prohibit bringing garlic, onions, and some other items in lunch boxes during the Purshan festival. In that instance, the Education Department also issued a notification, after which the relevant circular was withdrawn. Hawardhan Deshmukh, chairman of the Marathi Integration Committee, also commented on this issue. As of now, no official response has been received from the school administration.