New Delhi April 27 (IANS) The Delhi government has told the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) that Muslim teachers cannot be allowed to go for Juma prayers during school hours a senior official said on Friday.
DMC Chairman Zaraful Islam Khan told IANS that the Education Department of the Delhi government had in a written response said that teachers "can t leave their classes" and go for Juma prayers on Friday as it would "harm the interests of students".
"They (Education Department) said that the rules can t be relaxed and teachers have to reach school by 12.45 (p.m) for classes which begin at 1 (p.m) " Khan said.
Earlier teachers had approached the Commission with a request to allow them to go for prayers on Friday after which it had sought a response from the Education Department and the three municipal corporations on the issue.
The response from the municipal corporations were awaited Khan said.
"The teachers told us that there is a Union Home Ministry order of 1954 which says that employees can go for prayers after foregoing a certain amount from the salary. We have written to the Home Ministry to know whether the rule is still applicable " Khan said.
The response from the Home Ministry is yet to come according to Khan.
--IANS
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