A school teacher in Mumbai’s Kandivali was suspended after allegedly playing the Azaan (prayer call) on Friday during the morning assembly.
Parents and political activists staged a protest outside the Kapol Vidyanidhi International School area after a purported video of the Azaan was shared on social media platforms.
Parents gathered outside the school demanding action. “We often come here for our walks. Today we heard the Azaan during the morning prayer. It was extremely unusual,” said one of the parents.
According to The Indian Express report, school principal Rashmi Hegde said the Azaan was played as an initiative to make students aware of the diversity of religions.
Reportedly, the protest was led by a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Yogesh Sagar. A police complaint was filed by a local Shiv Sena leader named Sanjay Sawant.
Speaking to the media Sagar said, “A teacher belonging to the minority community decided to play the Azaan on loudspeaker by her phone during the morning assembly of Friday. It is not just a mistake.”
Meanwhile, the school principal said that the concerned teacher has been suspended and added such incidents will not be repeated.
“This is a Hindu school. Our prayers include the Saraswati pooja, Ganapati pooja and Navratri pooja. We promise that this won’t happen henceforth,” she said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajay Kumar Bansal said a case has been registered regarding the matter and an investigation is going on.
Earlier on Tuesday, a college principal was suspended and later booked by the police for starting a career guidance event with an Islamic prayer in Maharashtra’s Malegaon district
Subhash N Nikam, the principal of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaikwad Arts, Science and Commerce College was suspended after Hindutva groups alleged that students attending the seminar were being forced to convert to Islam.
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