A Jesuit school in Karnataka has faced flak for allegedly playing the Azan (call to public prayer) and making students offer namaz at a cultural event. A purported video of the incident has gone viral on social media.

The incident took place on Monday, November 14. The Mother Teresa Memorial School at Shankaranarayana town in Kundapur Taluk of Udupi district of Karnataka had organised a sports meet, ahead of which a cultural programme was held. It was during this event that the Azan was played on a loudspeaker, as per a report by PTI.

On Tuesday, November 15, some Hindu outfits staged a demonstration against the school management. However, in another purported video, one of the school teachers is heard saying that the prayer was organised to show harmony and equality in the society, but it was a mistake to play Azan.

Some protestors countered this by saying that there could not be any other song better suited for national unity than the National Anthem and the National Song. Though the school management has apologised and admitted that it was a mistake to play the Azan, the protesters condemned the school for the incident, as per PTI.

Mohan Gowda, Spokesperson of the Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi, blamed the school management for "forcing the Hindu students to perform Namaz". In a statement, Gowda alleged that the school had in the past banned Hindu students from wearing Bindi on the forehead, bangles and anklets, which was against the Karnataka Education Act. He further said that he would lodge a complaint with the National Child Rights Commission and the State Education Department.