‘Goal was to educate students about prayers in other religions’

Kandivlis Kapol Vidyanidhi International School is in the news once again this time for playing Azaan the call for prayer in Islam during the morning assembly on Friday Following pressure from local politicians and objections from a group of parents a teacher was suspendedThe matter came to light when a video shot outside the school by a parent went viral The video shows the school building and Azaan can be heard Parents of students studying in the school immediately rushed to the spotParents and Sena workers give a letter regarding the issue to principal Reshma HegdeLocal BJP MLA from Charkop constituency Yogesh Sagar and former corporator Pratibha Girkar also arrived Shiv Senarsquos head of Charkop Vidhansabha Sanjay Sawant and local leader Prashant Shinde also cameLeader speakThe Sena leaders led a delegation of parents to Kandivli police station and gave a complaint letter In the letter to the school and Kandivli police Sawant has levelled a serious allegation that ldquothis is a clear attempt to convert the students to IslamrdquoSawant said ldquoWe now have learnt that Azaan is played at the school every Friday to force children to learn it This is an effort to persuade Hindu students to convert to Islam We have requested that an FIR be filed against the teacher who was engaging in this behaviour as well as the management who approved of itrdquoPrincipal speakPrincipal Reshma Hegde however said ldquoThe goal was to educate students about prayers in other religions This was a small initiative to educate our students but our efforts have been portrayed incorrectly This was just to give information to the students Kapol Vidyanidhi is a Vaishnav school we have Sanskrit compulsory from Stds I to IV and our students learn shlokas dailyrdquoHowever after meeting a delegation of parents and Sena leaders Hegde assured them the teacher who played the Azaan had been suspended Addressing the parents Hegde said ldquoThe teacher has been suspended and an investigation has been initiated in the matter Since this is a Hindu school we have Hindu prayers every day which include Gayatri Mantra and Saraswati Vandanardquo Hegde assured parents and politicians present there that this wonrsquot happen in the futureParents shockedldquoA parent went for a walk and heard the Azaan He realised the sound was coming from the school building Shocked he called a few other parents When we asked the school management and staff they replied so what if we are playing azaan it is not a big matter It is an initiative for students to learn about different religionsrdquo a parent saidAnother parent said ldquoI saw the video on a WhatsApp group I immediately rushed to the school where other parents were also gathered It is not about what the school is doing The important question here is why were parents not informed about the initiative These are not some usual lessons Itrsquos a big decision they should have taken parents into confidence discussed it with the PTArdquoldquoThe matter seems to be very simple the principal and management knew about this Which is why the teacher took the initiative to play Azaan As some parents objected and it became a political matter the principal took a Uturn and suspended the teacher The teacher was made a scapegoatrdquo said another parent who believes the matter is nothing but a mountain of a molehillMLA Sagar said ldquoOn the schoolrsquos public address system the Muslim teacher played Azaan How can a teacher take the liberty to use a school loudspeaker without the management or administrationrsquos knowledge This shows not just the teacher but even the principal and the management are at fault for allowing this This is a Hindu school why take up such initiativesThe parents approached me after being told there was nothing wrong with it when they questioned thisFollowing our protest the teacher was suspended and the principal assured us an investigation will be conductedrdquoSenior Inspector of Kandivli police station Sandeep Babaji said ldquoA group of parents had approached us We took their complaint and are investigating the matter No FIR has been registered in the matter so farrdquo