India’s Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of a Christian army officer who was dismissed for refusing to take part in a regimental religious ceremony at a Sikh temple. The court called his behaviour “gross indiscipline.” On Nov. 25, the top court upheld a Delhi High Court ruling that confirmed the dismissal of Samuel Kamalesan, a Protestant officer who declined to enter the inner prayer area of a gurdwara during a weekly parade. The High Court had said he placed his religious beliefs above a lawful military order. Chief Justice Surya Kant questioned the officer’s conduct, saying such behaviour was unacceptable in the armed forces. The bench, also including Justice Joymalya Bagchi, refused to overturn the earlier judgment.
Kamalesan had joined the army as a lieutenant and served as a troop leader in a Sikh-majority squadron. In March 2021, four years after joining, he was dismissed without pension or service benefits. As a troop leader, he was expected to lead his unit into the gurdwara’s sanctum sanctorum during weekly prayers. He refused, saying his Christian faith did not permit him to take part in rituals of another religion. His lawyer argued that it was only a single incident and requested his reinstatement. He also said the officer regularly attended multi-faith prayer spaces common in army stations. However, this regiment had only a gurdwara and a Hindu temple. A Catholic lawyer commented that faith and military discipline are separate issues, and no one should be forced to take part in a religious ritual they do not believe in. He also questioned why a secular army requires participation in religious ceremonies. Regimental religious parades have been part of army tradition for many years.
