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Mumbai: Kapol International School in Kandivli (West) faced protests by parents of students after word spread that the school played ‘azan’ (the Muslim call to ritual prayer made from a mosque) during the assembly session of the school on Friday (June 16) morning. Police said that a case was filed in the matter.
“A complaint was received in Kandivali today that ‘Azaan’ was played during morning prayers at a school. Police have admitted the complaint and enquiry has begun. The matter will be enquired from all angles. All necessary action will be taken,” said DCP Ajay Kumar Bansal.
BJP Mumbai unit also tweeted about the protests that broke out outside the school.
Reports said that students as usual reached the school around 7 am. However, a teacher who was responsible for playing the regular prayers at school is said to have played the ‘azan’ on the speakers. Protesting parents said that this was deliberately done create tension.
BJP local MLA Yogesh Sagar also reached outside the school and joined the protesting parents. He called the ‘azan’ played at school intentional and not a mistake, as claimed by the school. He also said that the school was trying to shield the teacher.
All classes were dismissed due to the protests held outside the school following the row over ‘azan’. Parents said they want action to be taken against the teacher behind this incident.
The playing of Azan on speakers has already been a political issue in Maharashtra. Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief had last year launched a campaign against the playing of azan on loudspeakers in Maharashtra. The MNS chief had said that if loudspeakers were not taken down, his party workers would play Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques.
The teacher responsible for playing Azaan was suspended, informed school principal Dr Reshma Hegde. “The teacher has been suspended and an inquiry has been initiated. This is a Hindu school and our prayers include Gayatri Mantra and Saraswati Vandana. We want to assure that such an instance won’t be repeated in the future,” she was quoted by Indian Express as saying to the protesting crowd.
