New Delhi: A group of 11 students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) who were attended National Cadet Corps (NCC) camp at Rohini in New Delhi was allegedly asked to leave the training for sporting beard.
According to the report published in DNA, after the incident, students started protesting and termed the action as “discrimination”. They also demanded authorities to allow them to continue training. Agitating students told that the cadets were asked to leave the training camp after they refused to shave off their beards.
One of the students said that the 10-day training camp was started on 19th December. Eleven out of 35 students who joined training had beards. They were asked to shave off their beards which they refused as it is interference in their religious belief, he added whereas, NCC officials said that only Sikh cadets are allowed to grow their beards in the camp. A senior official rejected allegations of discrimination and said that it is the code of conduct of NCC. He further said that nobody asked the cadets to leave the camp.
The students who protested on the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia demanded the suspension of Rajnish Kumar, in charge of NCC.
Speaking on the incident, Aqdas Sami, a 3rd-year Bioscience student said that in-charge of university failed to help the students.
The agitating students also met the VC of the university, Mr. Talat Ahmad and demanded to take action against Mr. Kumar.
Responding to the students, the VC assured them to conduct an inquiry.
It may be mentioned that a similar incident had occurred in August 2015. At that time, Andhra Pradesh Minorities Commission had issued a notice to DG of NCC. Later, the Commission had also requested the Defence Ministry to extend exemption granted to Sikh community to Muslims also. However, the issue is still pending.