Full Breakdown
Tapovan Vidyalaya Fined Student for Fenugreek During Jain Paryushan, Prompting Municipal Show-Cause Notice
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
A student at Tapovan Vidyalaya in Bhayandar was charged INR50 for bringing a fenugreek (methi) dish in his tiffin during the Jain festival of Paryushan. The school marked the diary with “Fenugreek is a banned vegetable,” denied the home-cooked meal and directed the child to the canteen. Parents say the charge was a fine; the school calls it a fee for an alternative canteen dish.
Background & Context
Paryushan is a Jain observance during which many adherents avoid leafy greens, root vegetables and certain other foods. Tapovan Vidyalaya, a minority-institution with a majority Jain enrolment, informs parents at admission to exclude non-vegetarian items and root vegetables from lunchboxes. Earlier in the festival, the school imposed INR50 penalties on students who brought onions, potatoes, ginger, beetroot or carrots.
Timeline
- September 17 – Education Officer Sulabha Vathare of the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) issued a show-cause notice after complaints about food-related fines.
- September 18 – MNS leader Robert D’Souza lodged a fresh complaint alleging a fine for fenugreek; the notice reiterated that schools cannot impose dietary curbs under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
- September 22 – The incident sparked a “food row” in local media.
Data & Statistics
- INR50 – reported fine or charge for the fenugreek incident (The Hindu, News18, Freepress Journal).
- INR20 – reported per-student canteen charge in some accounts (NDTV, News18).
- INR50 – earlier fine imposed for onions, potatoes, ginger, beetroot and carrots.
Official Statements & Responses
- Sulabha Vathare, MBMC Education Officer, said imposing dietary restrictions violates the RTE Act 2009 and state rules, and demanded a response by September 21, 2026.
- The school, in a letter to the parents, explained that the INR50 covered an alternative dish because methi was “prohibited” during Paryushan.
- The MBMC notice warned of “strict action” if the school failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.
Criticism & Opposition
- Robert D’Souza, MNS office-bearer, argued the fine forces a set of dietary practices on students and exceeds the school’s authority as a minority institution.
- Ambadas Danves, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, mocked the policy, asking why similar restrictions were not applied to “pizza or a burger.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Amount Charged: Some outlets report a INR50 fine, while others describe a INR20 per-student canteen charge, suggesting the fee may have been framed either as a fine or as a meal cost.
- Nature of the Charge: The school calls the INR50 a canteen fee; parents and the MNS describe it as a disguised fine. No official clarification from the school has been obtained.
Verbatim Quotes
- “One of the students’ parents approached us and told us what happened to them. That is when we visited school, and the principal has also admitted that a fine was collected,” — Mr. D’Souza.
Why It Matters
The dispute raises questions about the extent to which private minority schools can enforce religiously motivated dietary rules on students when such rules intersect with statutory rights under the RTE Act.
What’s Next
The MBMC has set a deadline for the school’s explanation by September 21, 2026. Failure to respond may lead to penalties under state education regulations.