Two children are enough, says former Mumbai mayor

If former city mayor Shraddha Jadhav gets her way then Mumbaiites who have more than two children attending municipal schools, may soon find that their younger children are being denied free books, pencils, uniforms and school bags by the school authorities.

Shraddha Jadhav has put forward a notice of motion before the BMC, asking them to give the free 27school items only to the first two children of a family. File Pic

Jadhav has put forward a notice of motion scheduled to be discussed in the General Body meeting of the BMC later this month, asking the BMC to give the free 27 school items including books, uniform, bags, pencil boxes and other essential items only to the first two children of a family.

In the notice of motion she has pointed out that non-Mumbaiites are taking advantage of the rule and taking free items for their children studying in BMC run schools. Municipal schools do not deny admission to anyone and as the Right to Education Act also upholds every citizen's right to go to school. Jadhav believes ‘outsiders' are taking advantage of the law to strip the BMC of several crores of rupees.

Speaking to SUNDAY MiD DAY, she said, "As the city's population is increasing day by day, people coming from out of Mumbai and settling down here are taking advantage of the law. Why should the corporation pay for them? The BMC should consider my proposal seriously as we are spending a lot of money on giving 27 school items to children can be helpful to the corporation."

However, some opposition parties laughed off the proposal. Rais Shaikh, group leader of the Samajwadi Party in BMC, said, "How can she suggest that we deprive children of their rights just because they are the third, fourth or fifth child of their parents? Why punish the children?"u00a0