The Indian Army has dismissed a Muslim soldier who insisted on sporting a beard on religious grounds. The Army termed him an "undesirable soldier" and his dismissal was upheld by an Armed Forces Tribunal bench in Kochi recently, reported The Hindu. The tribunal dismissed his plea that he had a right to grow a beard under Article 25 of the Constitution, which concerns religious freedom, just like Sikhs. The tribunal ruled that having a beard was not among the fundamental tenets of Islam.

Maktumhusen, 34, was a sepoy in the Army Medical Corps for nearly 10 years when he first sought permission from his Commanding Officer, or CO, to sport a beard on religious grounds. The CO allowed him to have a beard provided he gets a new identity card and retains the look for the rest of his service. However, the CO soon found out that amendments had been made to the rule that did not allow soldiers, apart from Sikhs, to have beards while in service.

The CO then revoked his order and asked Maktumhusen to shave his beard, which the soldier said was discriminatory and approached the Karnataka High Court for justice. He was, meanwhile, transferred to Pune's Command Hospital, where his new CO also asked him to shave his beard. When Maktumhusen refused again, a show-cause notice was issued against him, after which he was sentenced to a 14-day detention for disobedience. Following an inquiry, he was discharged from service. Maktumhusen's counsel said he may move the Supreme Court now.