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

Parents outside the Kapol Vidyanidhi International School on Friday

Kandivli's 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 suspended.

The 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 spot.

Parents and Sena workers give a letter regarding the issue to principal Reshma Hegde

Local BJP MLA from Charkop constituency Yogesh Sagar and former corporator Pratibha Girkar also arrived. Shiv Sena's head of Charkop Vidhansabha Sanjay Sawant and local leader Prashant Shinde also came.

Leader speak

The 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 "this is a clear attempt to convert the students to Islam".

Sawant said, "We 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 it."

Principal speak

Principal Reshma Hegde, however, said, "The 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 daily."

However, 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, "The 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 Vandana." Hegde assured parents and politicians present there that this won't happen in the future.

Parents shocked

"A 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 religions," a parent said.

Another parent said, "I 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. It's a big decision, they should have taken parents into confidence, discussed it with the PTA."

"The 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 U-turn and suspended the teacher. The teacher was made a scapegoat," said another parent who believes the matter is nothing but a mountain of a molehill.

MLA Sagar said, "On the school's public address system, the Muslim teacher played Azaan. How can a teacher take the liberty to use a school loudspeaker without the management or administration's 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 initiatives?

The parents approached me after being told there was nothing wrong with it when they questioned this.

Following our protest, the teacher was suspended, and the principal assured us an investigation will be conducted."

Senior Inspector of Kandivli police station Sandeep Babaji said, "A group of parents had approached us. We took their complaint and are investigating the matter. No FIR has been registered in the matter so far."