Seven Square Academy, a CBSE-affiliated school in Mira Road run by a trust associated with the family of BJP MLA Narendra Mehta, has withdrawn a controversial circular that asked students to avoid bringing food containing onion, garlic, potato, beetroot and certain other vegetables during the Jain Paryushan festival.
The circular had been uploaded on the school’s online portal and also stated that the listed food items would not be served at the school canteen during the Paryushan period.
The decision triggered criticism from parents, political groups and social organisations, with opponents questioning whether a school should impose or encourage dietary restrictions linked to a particular religious observance.
The controversy escalated on Thursday when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Thane district president Avinash Jadhav visited the school. Jadhav reportedly warned that his party would launch an agitation if the circular was not withdrawn within 24 hours.
The Marathi Ekikaran Samiti also opposed the school’s directive and said it was considering legal action seeking cancellation of the institution’s recognition.
Amid the mounting pressure, the school removed the circular from its online portal later on Thursday evening. The withdrawal was welcomed by the MNS and Marathi Ekikaran Samiti.
The controversy also drew a political response from Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who criticised the move and questioned whether similar restrictions were being followed at establishments associated with Mehta, including clubs and hotels.
Sarnaik also took a swipe at the BJP by referring to the broader debate around religious observances and fasting practices, questioning whether comparable restrictions would be acceptable when Hindu religious occasions are being observed.
Mehta, meanwhile, sought to clarify the matter, saying the communication was intended only as an appeal to students and was not meant to be compulsory.
The dispute comes during Jain Paryushan, a significant period of religious observance for the Jain community during which many followers follow dietary restrictions and avoid certain foods.
The withdrawal of the circular has brought the immediate confrontation to an end, but the episode has sparked a wider debate in the Mira-Bhayandar area over religious practices in educational institutions, dietary choices and the limits of school-level requests to students.
