India, Aug. 29 -- With the monsoon season drawing to a close, thousands of students in Classes 1 to 8 studying at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-run schools are still waiting for umbrellas and several essential school supplies, four months after the new academic year began. And the explanation for the delay? The contractor has cited the war situation in West Asia.

The bizarre justification came under sharp criticism at the Education Committee meeting, where opposition corporators questioned how a conflict thousands of kilometres away was connected to the delayed supply of umbrellas to municipal school students.

The issue was raised for the second consecutive Education Committee meeting by members of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Con...