On 30 May the Delhi High Court upheld the Indian Army’s decision to dismiss a Christian lieutenant for refusing to take part in certain Hindu religious rituals practiced by his regiment.
Lieutenant Samuel Kamalesan joined the army in 2017 and served in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, which predominantly recruits soldiers from the Jat, Rajput and Sikh communities. While he did attend religious parades and festivals at the unit’s temple and gurdwara, shortly after his recruitment he sought an exemption from entering the temple’s inner sanctorum to perform the pujaHindu worship ritual, claiming that it went against his Christian beliefs.
Lt Kamalesan has faced disciplinary action ever since, and was dismissed in 2021 after several warnings, leaving him with no access to his pension entitlement and gratuity benefits. In a statement submitted to the Delhi High Court, the army argued that the traditions Lt Kamalesan sought exemption from are important for building unity and morale in the regiment.
On 30 May the Delhi High Court ruled that Lt Kamalesan’s dismissal was lawful. The judges stated that following orders in the military comes above personal religious choices, and that unity in the armed forces is built through shared traditions, not divided by religion.
Lt Kamalesan had also raised the issue that his regiment did not have a common prayer space for members of all religious groups, in what appears to be the first recorded case of such a complaint.
CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘The Delhi High Court’s decision in this matter raises challenges where individual faith confronts military directives. In the current climate such decisions could impact religious minorities who serve in the Indian army, exposing them to pressure and discrimination. We urge the Indian army to consider reforms to ensure that military discipline and freedom of religion or belief are upheld within a democratic framework.’
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