Updated on: 17TH June 2023 12:51 PM IST | Mumbai
S S Nadar | news@debotimes.in

MUMBAI: Azaan played over a Mumbai suburban school’s public address system during the morning assembly quickly snowballed into a storm on Friday, leading to the suspension of a staff member.

A 30-second clip of the Islamic call to prayer originating from the school in Kandivali was recorded by a group of morning walkers and circulated online. Soon parents started to gather outside the Kapol Vidyanidhi International School (ICSE board). Demonstrations by the BJP, MNS and Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena ensued. Police bandobast had to be deployed to avert a law and order situation.

School principal Reshma Hedge, attempting to pacify parents and political outfits, said the prayer was an initiative to educate students on various faiths. She said the effort was being misinterpreted. However, with protesting parents threatening to sit on strike on the school premises, the teacher who played the Azaan was suspended, pending inquiry. A Vedic song was also played to pacify the protestors.

Kandivali Police did not register an FIR in the matter but said they would initiate an inquiry. "We received a complaint from some parents that the Azaan was played during morning prayers at a school on Friday. We will investigate from all angles and appropriate legal action will be taken," said deputy commissioner of Police Ajay Bansal.

Students from classes 4 to 10 were in their respective classrooms when the teacher played the pre-recorded audio clip of the Azaan, which is heard from mosques, on the PA system around 7.15 am on Friday. As the sound began to carry through the area, some morning walkers and parents who were dropping off their children began to record it. A video clip was circulated on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.

The 20-year-old school that reopened for the new academic year on June 6 has organised prayers of different faiths during the morning assembly for a while now. The school has students from the minority community too.

Students remained in their classrooms and were largely unaware of what led to the protest. Parents of students from classes 1 to 3 who arrived for the second shift joined the protestors. The principal eventually apologised to the crowd and urged them to disperse. A police source said when ex-students learnt of the incident, they expressed support online for the teacher who has been suspended.
BJP MLA Yogesh Sagar from Charkop in Kandivali (west) claimed that playing the Azaan had "hurt the sentiments of the majority community."