Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:The Supreme Court on November 25 took a dim view of a Christian Army officer’s refusal to participate in religious rituals at his regiment’s temple and gurdwara, reported Bar and Bench.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi asked whether the refusal did not amount to hurting the religious feelings of the soldiers subordinate to him.
“If this is the attitude of an Army officer, then what to say!,” CJI Kant remarked as it upheld the dismissal of Lieutenant Samuel Kamalesan. Commissioned in 2017, Lt Kamalesan, who was assigned to the Sikh squadron, faced disciplinary proceedings for refusing to enter the inner sanctum of religious structures during mandatory regimental parades. He claimed that this was not only as a sign of respect to his Christian faith but also as a sign of respect towards the sentiments of his troops so that his non-participation in rituals in the inner shrine would not offend their religious sentiments. The Army stated that despite assurances from commanding officers and consultations with Christian clergy suggesting no conflict, he refused to change his stand. He was thus terminated in 2021. According to the Army, the officer’s refusal undermined unit cohesion and troop morale.
In May this year, the Delhi High Court had upheld his termination, observing that as a Commanding Officer of his troops, he carried additional responsibilities and that the question in the case was not of religious freedom but of following a lawful command of a superior. The decision was then challenged before the Supreme Court. During the hearing today, CJI Kant remarked that the officer was completely “misfit” for the Army.
