A Mumbai BJP MLA on Saturday demanded that school fees be slashed by 50 per cent as parents of several students had lost their jobs due to the coronavirus outbreak and resultant lockdown. Atul Bhatkhalkar, MLA from Kandivali East in the metropolis and the BJP's in charge for BMC polls, said state school education minister Varsha Gaikwad should take the initiative on fee reduction.

"Several people have lost their jobs in the lockdown. If the demand is not met, then the BJP will take to the streets," he said. "I wonder why Varsha Gaikwad has given a stay on the committee looking into parents' complaints of exorbitant fee hike by some schools in the state. Gaikwad should have permitted the committee to complete its work," the BJP MLA added.

He alleged that Gaikwad "tried to malign the image of some of the parents' associations who have been demanding slashing of fees" and asked if Gaikwad, as minister, should be "protecting the interests of students or the school management".