New Delhi, India - Government said on Wednesday that the religious headcount in armed forces was not permitted as this would affect its secular and apolitical character.
"It was not considered desirable to supply such a data as this would have affected ethos and cohesiveness of the forces," Defence Minister A K Antony told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.
In his first comments on why the armed forces refused to supply such information to the Sachar Committee which evaluated social, economic and educational status of Muslims, the Minister said armed forces have a secular and apolitical character.
"Recruitment to the forces is based on merit and is open to every citizen of the country without any discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, religion on region," Antony told the House.
He said armed forces personnel from all communities and regions worked together without any distinction on the basis of caste, creed or religion.
The question was raised by Syed Azeez Pasha of the CPI.