Just like any other Muslim, Maktumhusen, a 34-year-old soldier from Dharwad in Karnataka, wanted to grow his beard because Islam says so. But there was a problem: The Armed Forces do not allow any soldier to sport a permanent beard, except in the case of Sikhs. Unfortunately, based on the same rule, Maktumhusen has been terminated by the Army and termed ‘an undesirable soldier’, reported The Hindu. His dismissal was also upheld by an Armed Forces Tribunal bench in Kochi recently.

It was in 2001, that Jawan Maktumhusen had requested his Commanding Officer (CO) to allow him to grow a beard on religious grounds. He got the requisite permission, but the CO only realised later that they had gone against the new amendments to the rules and withdrew the permission asking Maktumhusen to comply.

The soldier called the order 'discriminatory' and moved Karnataka High Court, and remained adamant on his decision to not shave his beard. He was then transferred to Pune's Command Hospital, where his new CO had the same order for him. After his repeated refusal, a show-cause notice was issued against him, after which he was sentenced to a 14-day detention for disobedience.

Finding no way out, Maktumhusen may now move Supreme Court to challenge the order.