Washington: Three Sikh American solider have sued the US Department of Defense as they want to serve the US Army without doing away with their turban, hair and beards.
A final decision on the lawsuit, which was filed after a written demand to the government was ignored, is expected on Thursday.
Pointing that the government has not given any good reason for not allowing them to serve the military, their attorney Eric Baxter said, "The government hasn't given any good reason why it won't let them serve their military. The government has cited safety hazards of beard. But the truth is there are other soldiers who keep beard for medical or other reasons. The government has no case at all."
The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, in which Specialist Kanwar Singh, Specialist Harpal Singh and Private Arjan Singh Ghotra demanded that the Army accommodate their religious articles of faith, including turbans, unshorn hair and beards, so that each can begin Basic Combat Training with their various units in May.
The lawsuit was filed by the Sikh Coalition, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and McDermott Will & Emery, after the US Department of Defence ignored a written demand letter that was sent on March 23.
(With PTI Inputs)
Comments
0 comment