Bengaluru: The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) directed the ISKCON Akshaya Patra foundation to use garlic and onion in the midday meal supplied to the school children across the state.

In a letter written to the foundation, authorities informed that onion and garlic are part of the midday meal and it has been found that foundation is not using them. “As per the guidelines, these two items must be included in the food,” instructed in the letter.

According to the sources, when N Mahesh was the primary and secondary education minister he had directed the department to direct the foundation to comply with the guidelines.

According to the authorities, ISKCON-Akshaya Patra foundation is supplying midday meal to over 4.40 lakh students every day from 2,814 schools across Karnataka mainly in Bengaluru.

However, the foundation does not use these two ingredients in its kitchen.