A Muslim police constable in India has moved to a state high court after the police department asked him to shave off his beard. Gujrat High Court Justice Sonia Gokani has admitted Shaikh’s petition last week and scheduled final hearing on the issue for April 25.

Mohammed Sajid Sabirmiya Shaikh from Sarkhej, 25, joined the Lok Rakshak Dal (LRD) in March 2016. He was posted at police headquarters at Shahibaug. For nine months, the department did not object to him sporting a beard, but three months ago it told him remove it, reports the Times of India.

‘Shaikh argued before senior officers that sporting a beard is part of his fundamental right to freedom of religion. However, the officials did not accept his argument citing departmental circular. His seniors insisted he could be exempted only if he had performed Haj.’

 ‘I have been wearing a beard for seven or eight years. Nobody in the department objected for nine months but one fine day I was told to remove it. They say that I will be allowed to keep the beard only if I have completed the Haj pilgrimage. How can I spend Rs 2 lakh and go on the Haj just to keep my beard?’ TOI reported quoting Shaikh.

After the objection was raised, Shaikh has not been allowed to report for duty.

‘I went to report for duty several times but senior officers don’t allow me report to work with my beard,’ Shaikh said.

Joint commissioner of police (headquarters) R J Savani said, ‘According to the norms, as a trainee, Shaikh cannot get an exemption. He can sport a beard only if he is a Haji. Normally, after the probation period ends, policemen are allowed to keep beards if they request so. In case of LRD, the pro bation period is of five years.’

When Shaikh was in this logjam, he filed a petition in the high court asserting his right to religious freedom, stating that his donning a beard was not a hurdle in performing his duty. The freedom for Sikhs to sport beard in the armed forces was cited to further his argument.

Meanwhile, government pleader Manisha Shah is relying on a Supreme Court judgment, by which it rejected a petition by a member of the Air Force, who is a Muslim, to let him to keep his beard on religious grounds.