Supreme Court slams soldier for ‘religious ego’, upholds dismissal

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the dismissal of Indian Army officer Samuel Kamalesan, criticising him for placing personal religious rigidity above the disciplined, secular ethos of the armed forces, according to reports.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, reportedly said the officer’s refusal to enter the sanctum sanctorum of his regiment’s sarv dharm sthal—a common prayer space—showed a “cantankerous attitude” incompatible with military discipline.

The court categorically called him a “misfit for the Indian Army”, as per reports.

The officer who was commissioned in 2017 and posted as a troop leader in a Sikh squadron, had repeatedly refused instructions to step inside the structure, which houses a gurudwara and temple.

Despite being advised by his pastor that his faith would not be compromised, the officer insisted that doing so violated his monotheistic beliefs.

As per reports, the court said such conduct deeply undermined troop morale and disrespected the sentiments of Sikh, Jat and Rajput soldiers he commanded. 

The bench reportedly said that as a leader, “he insulted the collective sentiment of his own men”, adding that the officer’s stand was steeped in “religious ego” rather than genuine religious obligation.

Rejecting arguments that his constitutional rights had been infringed, the bench reportedly noted that Article 25 protects only essential religious practices, which were not under discussion in this case. 

The appeal was dismissed in its entirety.