Karnataka bus driver stops vehicle to offer Namaz during duty hours, probe ordered | VIDEO
The video which has now gone viral on social media platforms shows the man praying and offering namaz occupying the front seat of the vehicle.
A driver of a state transport bus in Karnataka landed in trouble after he stopped the bus carrying passengers on the roadside to offer Namaz. A departmental inquiry has been initiated against the driver, a senior official said on Wednesday.
The video which has now gone viral on social media platforms shows the man praying and offering namaz occupying the front seat of the vehicle. The footage was reportedly captured by a commuter.
The driver has been identified as AK Mulla. His gesture of offering prayer gained widespread views and drew criticism on the internet as the act was done during his duty hours. According to a senior official from the North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), the 58-year-old was seen offering prayers two days ago.
"We don’t know why this happened. A departmental inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the circumstances and reasons behind the incident," the official told PTI. The incident is said to have occurred on Tuesday evening along the Huballi-Haveri Road near Javeri.
Karnataka Transport Minister takes action
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy in a letter to the manager of NWKRTC said that the staff working in a public service sector is required to abide by certain "rules and regulations compulsorily".
He said that even though everyone has the right to practice any religion, they cannot do that in the office hours.
"It is objectionable to perform namaz by stopping the bus midway even though there are passengers travelling in the bus. It is instructed to conduct immediate inquiry into the said viral video and to take disciplinary action if the staff found guilty. Action should be taken to prevent recurring of these types of incidents in future," the Minister said, reported NDTV.