A driver of Algerian origin sparked controversy in France after he played verses from the Holy Quran inside a public bus he was driving across the line linking Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, prompting the transport authority to investigate him.
The incident, which occurred last Tuesday, caused widespread controversy within French circles, according to the newspaper “Le Figaro”.
The newspaper stated that the driver angered the bus passengers by playing verses from the Qur’an for about 40 minutes into the loudspeakers, and refused to stop the recording.
Media said an investigation was opened shortly after the accident was reported, in response to various complaints from passengers.
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And media reports quoted eyewitnesses, that the driver refused to fulfill their desire to stop the recording, and their call for him to respect secularism.
They said the driver replied, “It’s my bus! I do whatever I want in it, you can get off if you’re not happy.”
In the context, Paul Silo, Director of the Transport Authority, pointed out that the driver confirmed that he did not broadcast the Quranic verses on the loudspeaker, but only on his phone, according to “Le Figaro”.
According to reports, the driver is not an employee of the transport line linking the cities of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, but works through a contractor.