The district administration in Karnataka’s Kolar district has ordered an inquiry into claims that a government school allowed Muslim students to offer prayers in a classroom, The New Indian Express reported on Sunday.
Hindu organisations held protests against the head of Mulbagal Someswara Palaya Bale Changappa Government Kannada Model Higher Primary School. She reportedly allowed 20 students to offer prayers on Friday afternoons in a vacant classroom.
Kolar Deputy Commissioner Umesh Kumar said that he has told Deputy Director of Public Instruction Revana Siddappa to carry out an inquiry and file a report.
The headmistress, Uma Devi, said that she did not know anything about the matter, India Today reported. “The students did it themselves,” she said. “I was not here when this happened. The block education officer called and said this was happening at school and I rushed.”
Block Education Officer Girijeshwari Devi said that about 25 to 30 students were offering namaz at the school regularly, The News Minute reported. “There are around 165 students from the Muslim community and the total strength of the school is 375,” she said. “There is a mosque right next to the school, there is no issue in them going there for prayers.”
The block education officer, however, said that none of the other students had complained about namaz being offered in the school.
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