A step in the right direction by the Supreme Court.
Overstretching religious freedom in a “secular” country should not be allowed. Today if this is allowed, tomorrow people would want to bring “kirpans” and “trishools” to school in the name of freedom of religious expression.
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SC says no beard in school, doesn’t want ‘Talibanisation’
New Delhi: Rejecting the plea of a Muslim student that he should be permitted to sport beard in his convent school, the Supreme Court observed secularism cannot be overstretched and that “Talibanisation” of the country cannot be permitted.
“We don’t want to have Talibans in the country. Tomorrow a girl student may come and say that she wants to wear a burqa, can we allow it?” Justice Markandeya Katju speaking for a bench headed by Justice Raveendran observed.
While asserting he was a secularist, Justice Katju said religious beliefs cannot be overstretched.
“I am secularist. We should strike a balance between rights and personal beliefs. We cannot overstretch secularism,” the judge, known for his incisive remarks said.
Justice Katju passed the obsesrvation while dismissing the petition of the student. Mohammad Salim of Nirmala Convent Higher Secondary School, a government-recognised minority institution in Madhya Pradesh, sought quashing of the school regulation requiring students to be clean-shaven.
Challenging a Madhya Pradesh High Court verdict that had earlier dismissed his plea, Salim submitted that every citizen was entitled to follow his religious principles and that no one should restrain him from doing so in a secular country like India.
Salim’s counsel Justice (retd) B A Khan argued before the bench that sporting beard was an indispensable part of Islam.
But Justice Katju was apparently not impressed with the argument and quipped “But you (Khan) don’t sport a beard?” the judge asked the counsel.
