Jaipur: A few months after nine Muslim policemen in Rajasthan’s Alwar were officially allowed to have a beard, an order issued on Friday withdrew this permission with immediate effect.
The order issued by Alwar superintendent of police Paris Deshmukh revoked the special permission granted earlier this year to nine Muslim cops – Abbas Khan (constable), Asrad Khan (constable), Samardeen (constable), Jacam Khan (constable), Mustaq (constable), Israyel Ahmad (ASI), Deen Mohammed (constable), Shahid Nisar (constable) and Chote Khan (head constable) – to have a beard.
“The main aim of this order was that during the law and order duty of the police, they are able to do it in an “unbiased” way. The policeman’s duty is such wherein not only does he have to work in an unbiased way, but he also has to “look” unbiased,” Deshmukh told reporters.
The Alwar police order on November 21.
“Only those Muslim personnel who had kept beard along with moustache at the time of commissioning or enrolment prior to 1 Jan 2002, would be allowed to keep beard and moustache. Such personnel are to maintain it in a manner that it is neat, trimmed and tidy and not more than the length which could be covered by one fist. Muslims who have grown beard after joining service should shave off the beard. Under no circumstances, a Muslim person who had beard at the time of joining service before 1 Jan 2002 shall be allowed to maintain beard without moustache. Moustache would be a part of the beard,” states Regulation 425 (b).
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After Supreme Court’s Regulation 425 (b), which applies to personnel whose religion prohibits the cutting or shaving of hair for its members, 32 policemen were given permission (to sport a beard), out of which permission for nine policemen in Alwar was revoked by an order by the SP on Thursday.
The Alwar police order on November 22.
This had led to resentment among the Muslim community.
Yunus Chopdar, associated with the Muslim Parishad Sansthan, said, “We are afraid that the discriminatory order issued by the SP is a part of a bigger conspiracy against the Muslim community. If the police believes that the Muslim policemen are biased, then why are they even admitted in the service.”
“Mewat in Alwar is a communally sensitive and prone to lynchings. If the administration will resort to discrimination upon faith, then where will the Muslims go?” he added.
Following the controversy, the district police on Friday, withdrew the order with a clarification. Locals believe that the director general of police had to interfere in the matter, after which the order was taken down.
In a press statement issued later on Friday, the district police claimed that the order was “administrative” in nature. “The purpose of the order was only administrative. On the applications of those policemen, the order has been now cancelled and they have been granted permission to have beard.”