New Delhi, July 24: The Indian Air Force is taking a fresh look at its tough stand not to allow a Muslim personnel to sport a beard.
While the Air Force had on an affidavit in the Supreme Court strongly argued that Islam does not mandate its members to keep a beard or not to trim it, realisation that its tough stand could incite a controversy led it to tell the court that it would look at the sensitive issue anew.
Responding to a petition filed by one Mohammad Zubair challenging the Air Force’s policy not to allow Muslim recruits to keep beard if on the date of joining they did not have it, the IAF said, “All Muslims do not carry beard.”
“The practice of growing and keeping beard is optional and sporting a beard is not universally recognised in the religion of Islam. Therefore, it cannot be said that Muslim religion prohibits the cutting of hair or shaving of the face of its member,” it told the Supreme Court in an affidavit.
Having said this on an affidavit, the Centre realised that such a stand could stoke a huge religious controversy. Appearing for the government, additional solicitor general Indira Jaising told a Bench comprising Justices D K Jain and H L Dattu on Monday that the government was taking a fresh look at the issue.
While deferring hearing for eight weeks, the Bench noted in its order: “The ASG appearing on behalf of the Union of India states that fresh thought is being given to the controversy raised in the present petition. She prays for adjournment.”
The IAF in its affidavit had said that its decision not to allow Muslims who did not have a beard at the time of joining the force to grow a beard was also judicially approved.
It cited a 1985 decision of the Kerala High Court, which had held that Muslim personnel serving in the armed forces like the state police cannot grow beard as a matter of right and that they were bound by the departmental instructions in this regard.
“For the effective and efficient functioning of such a large combatant force, with 11,000 officers and about 1.2 lakh personnel below the officers, it is imperative and essential that its personnel are guided by a sense of brotherhood and feeling of `espirit-de-corps’ without any distinction of caste, creed, colour or religion,” the IAF’s affidavit said.
-Agencies