Similar headlines are making rounds in the social media for last few days. A lot of people from Sikh community are feeling pride in sharing this news and a lot of Muslims are feeling irritated, discriminated and somehow cheated from it as well.
In reality the SC has definitely passed a judgement which has nothing to do with Sikhs or Muslims.
Here is the whole truth!
An IAF crewman Mohammad Zubair has challenged his sacking from IAF on the basis of sporting long beard. Zubair had asserted that it was his fundamental right to sport beard where as IAF asserted that it was against the rules and regulations of IAF. Eventually the matter reached the Supreme Court when Punjab & Haryana high court upheld the IAF decision.
A three judge bench of SC including Chief Justice TS Thakur upheld the decision and made the following observations.
“During the course of the hearing, we had inquired of Shri Salman Khurshid, learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the Appellants whether there is a specific mandate in Islam which “prohibits the cutting of hair or shaving of facial hair”. Learned senior counsel, in response to the query of the Court, indicated that on this aspect, there are varying interpretations, one of which is that it is desirable to maintain a beard. No material has been produced before this Court to indicate that the Appellant professes a religious belief that would bring him within the ambit of Regulation 425(b) which applies to “personnel whose religion prohibits the cutting off the hair or shaving off the face of its members”.
SC also said “The Air Force is a combat force, raised and maintained to secure the nation against hostile forces. The primary aim of maintaining an Air Force is to defend the nation from air operations of nations hostile to India and to advance air operations, should the security needs of the country so require. The Indian Air Force has over eleven thousand officers and one lakh and twenty thousand personnel below officers rank. For the effective and thorough functioning of a large combat force, the members of the Force must bond together by a sense of Espirit-de-corps, without distinctions of caste, creed, colour or religion. There can be no gainsaying the fact that maintaining the unity of the Force is an important facet of instilling a sense of commitment, and dedication amongst the members of the Force. Every member of the Air Force while on duty is required to wear the uniform and not display any sign or object which distinguishes one from another. Uniformity of personal appearance is quintessential to a cohesive, disciplined and coordinated functioning of an Armed Force.”
So the whole matter was never about Sikhs and Muslims. Comparisons were drawn with the Sikhs who are allowed to sport beard and tie a turban (Should have six neat folds on either side). It is because they come under the above said “Regulation 425(b)” as Sikh religion prohibits cutting of hair and beard. So as per policy guidelines, Sikh personnel must maintain the beard neatly dressed/tied and rolled and not kept flowing. They are to wear the turban while in uniform/civil dress whether inside or outside the camp except during PT/Games and activities related to operations where wearing of turban is not feasible. At all such occasions, Sikh personnel are to wear turban/patka or handkerchief over the knot of hair as appropriate. Sikh personnel keeping short hair and beard are to wear turban as applicable to those maintaining long hair”.
It is also important to mention as per The Indian Express, a former Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Army’s legal branch, Col SK Aggarwal, said that despite restrictions there are relaxations which are given within rules and regulations. “For example there is a provision of taking permission and growing beard by Muslims in Ramzan while keeping roza. The permission is given with the direction that the beard has to be shaved off after the rozas are over else it will be considered an disciplinary offence,” he said.
The armed forces regulations also prohibit wearing of tilak or Vibhuti on the forehead, thread on the wrist or arm and any trinket in the ear. Only marriage ring is allowed for married personnel and even Vermillion (Sindoor) is prohibited for lady officers while in uniform.
So the whole issue was twisted and converted into a Sikh vs Muslim one. How pathetic and nonsensical our news media has become. So all viewers are requested not to go by the headlines as they are often misleading and read the whole story (also check with other sources) before making up your mind on any issue.
Ref for further reading
NIKOMEN! 
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