Christian Indian officer dismissed from army for not performing Hindu ritual

The High Court in Delhi has upheld the dismissal of Lieutenant Samuel Kamalesan, ruling that obedience to orders takes precedence over personal religious beliefs in the military. The soldier, in the name of his Christian faith, respectfully remained outside Hindu and Sikh temples during ceremonies. Jesuit lawyer Fr. Santhanam tells AsiaNews: ‘A ruling that further weakens India's secularism.’

Delhi (AsiaNews) - The Delhi High Court has upheld the dismissal of Lieutenant Samuel Kamalesan, a Christian officer in the Indian army, for refusing to participate in religious rituals at the Hindu temple and Sikh gurdwara of his regiment.

Kamalesan joined the army in 2017 and served in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, which mainly recruits soldiers from the Jat, Rajput and Sikh communities. Although he participated in parades and religious festivals at the temple and gurdwara, shortly after his enlistment he requested exemption from entering the most sacred part of the temple to participate in the Hindu puja ritual, arguing that this was contrary to his Christian faith.

Since then, he has faced disciplinary action and was discharged in 2021 after several recalls, also losing his pension rights and end-of-service benefits. Kamalesan challenged the decision, arguing that his regiment does not have a Sarv Dharm Sthal — a multi-faith space — and that there is no Christian church on the base.

He added that his respectful presence in the areas outside places of worship was a sign of solidarity with his soldiers. In a brief filed with the Delhi High Court, the army argued that the traditions from which Kamalesan sought exemption are fundamental to building unity and morale within the regiment.

In a ruling on 30 May, the Delhi High Court ruled that Lieutenant Kamalesan's dismissal was lawful. The judges stated that in the military, obedience to orders takes precedence over personal religious choices, and that unity in the armed forces is built through shared traditions, not on the basis of religious division.

Commenting on this ruling to AsiaNews, Jesuit lawyer A. Santhanam, who works at the Madurai section of the Madras High Court, said: "It is sad that the judges have upheld the dismissal of Lieutenant Samuel Kamalesan, ignoring his right to his Christian faith. Such punishment constitutes a form of religious coercion and undermines the secular character of India. The court failed to understand that the alleged misconduct was neither criminal nor violent, but based solely on abstention dictated by faith. Such a ruling weakens India's secularism, undermines the rule of law and risks creating majority religious prejudice within the Armed Forces. Faith is a deeply personal dimension. No authority or order,‘ concludes Fr. Santhanam, ’can compel anyone to act against their beliefs: such coercion is a form of violence."