Ahmedabad: Controversy erupts over video of namaaz in school

Controversy erupted on Tuesday over a video showing a Class 2 student in a Ghatlodia school offering namaaz, and later singing a song on communal harmony with four other students.

 On Tuesday, members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and some right-wing organisations staged angry protest on the school premises.

The demonstrators alleged the students were forced to perform prayers of other faith in the garb of awareness programme.

A school’s music teacher who arranged the music for the event held at Kalorex Future School in Ghatlodia was allegedly attacked by the protesters.

Following the uproar, the school tendered an apology and clarified that the intention behind organizing the programme in question was only to make students aware of the practices of different religions.

The school had organized an event on September 29 to mark Eid-e-Milad un-Nabi which was celebrated on September 28.

A Class 2 Muslim student, admitted under the Right to Education Act, 2009, demonstrated how namaaz is offered. Four Hindu students, also from Class 2, later joined him in singing ‘Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua Ban Ke Tamanna Meri’ by poet Allama Iqbal.

On Tuesday, members of ABVP, Antar-Rashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP), Rashtriya Bajrang Dal (RBD) among others staged a protest.