SC ALLOWS MUSLIM BOY TO SPORT BEARD IN SCHOOL

The Supreme Court, in an interim order on September 11, directed Nirmala Convent Higher Secondary School in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh to take back Mohammad Salim, who was expelled for refusing to shave his beard on religious grounds. A bench of Justices B N Aggarwal and G S Singhvi issued notices to the school on Salim’s petitions, challenging Madhya Pradesh High Court order that dismissed his plea against the expulsion. Justice Singhvi asked senior counsel B.A. Khan, appearing for the petitioner, whether the student was dismissed solely for sporting a beard. When the counsel said “yes,” Justice Singhvi said: “In that case, tomorrow they may say that no Sikh student can be admitted.” It is notable that earlier, on March 30, a bench headed by Justice Markandey Katju rejected the student’s petition observing that secularism could not be overstretched and that “Talibanisation” of the country could not be permitted. Salim sought review of the plea stating the observations on “Talibanisation” caused incalculable damage to the country’s image and the judiciary besides hurting Muslim sentiments. Salim said, “I fought a long battle and the Almighty finally showered his blessings on me.” But the order “needs to be reviewed afresh as the core issue of a Muslim’s right to sport a beard as guaranteed by Article 25 of the Constitution [right to practise and profess one’s religion] was violated by the school.” Secretary General Jamaat-e-Islami Nusrat Ali, in a statement, also welcomed the verdict of the court.