School Teacher Teaching Namaz to Hindu Children in Karnataka: Fact Check

Story:

School Teacher Teaching Namaz to Hindu Children in Shimoga, Karnataka. Plans of religious conversion.

Other Versions

1. Hindu school kids being forced to do Namaz

2. In Congress-JDS ruled Karnataka in Shivamogga the teacher in a school is teaching Namaz to Hindu children.

3. Karnataka School at SHIVMOGA teaching Muslim Namaaz to Hindu Childrens in Schools – Immediate action should be taken

4. (Hindi)
कर्नाटक के स्कूल में टीचर ने पढ़वाई बच्चों से नमाज

Fact Check:

A story doing rounds on social media sites and WhatsApp purports to show the video of a School Teacher Teaching Namaz to Hindu Children. The story claiming to show Hindu school kids in Shimoga, Karnataka forced to do Namaz went viral soon and created backlash at the school. The truth of the matter, however, is that the children were not forced to learn Namaz. Some allegations about religious conversion plans are also not true.

Truth about School Teacher Teaching Namaz to Hindu Children

The viral video clip shows a school teacher making students recite verses from the Quran. The short footage comes from Vidyadeepa Vidyalaya, a Kindergarten School in Shimoga (Shivamogga) district of Karnataka. Once the story became viral and controversial, there was backlash at the school as to why the students were taught Namaz.

However, the revelation came from the school authorities itself who clarified the purpose of the video. Actually, it is a partial footage from a rehearsal program where the children were learning verses from not only the Quran but also from Bhagvad Gita and Bible. In a Kannada language media interview the School Principal Arati Janardhan told the same. In the video below, you can see another teacher teaching Hindu and Christian verses to the same kids. Also watch the other teacher in first video beside her.

The School Principal explained that on Environment day the children recited verses from all three religious books. She added the program was a success and the parents were also happy about it. So, the teachers and the group of students were planning and preparing for similar program on Independence Day. But once the first part of the video went viral with false claims, the backlash from parents and others disturbed them. They dropped the idea of the program to avoid any kind of harm to school and the teachers. They also expressed regret over the unfortunate outcome. While the school teachers wanted to show the world is one despite many religions, some political miscreants tried to use the video to spread religious hatred.

Image of School teachers in Shimoga making children recite verses from all three religious books — School teachers in Shimoga making children recite verses from all three religious books

To conclude, the controversial story about the video showing School Teacher Teaching Namaz to Hindu Children in Karnataka is a hoax. The kindergarten students were practicing verses from all three religious books for a school program meant to show oneness of all religions.