Sexual Harassment in Indian Army Shocks the Ranks

[T90TankGuy]

Commanding officer?
A full colonel?
A man in his 40's???
Why am I not surprised???

Why men act strangely after 40?

I am hardly that

 

[Assange]

Yeah, I don't find Indian women that attractive either... That's why white women are a steal in your country.

Oh that is your taste I can't comment on that...

but about white woman especially foreign ones are considered as sluts in India (sorry to use that kind of language) people here seem to have a mentality that foreign women will sleep with anyone etc etc etc...so yes they are considered as a steal just for one night stand....

 

[Maarkhoor]

By Pradip R Sagar

Published: 18th Oct 2015 09:35:41 AM

NEW DELHI: An army officer who was a prominent part of the first-ever Indian Army women officers’ contingent that showcased ‘naari shakti’ at Rajpath this year at the Republic Day parade has alleged sexual harassment by her senior.
The complainant said that while the army sat on her complaint for nearly two months, the accused was posted to a much larger commanding unit. Disappointed by the way her complaint was handled by the authorities, the father of the officer has written an emotional appeal to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to look into the matter. “If this is the way the Indian Army treats its daughters, I am not sure if any parent will ever send their daughters to the Army,” he wrote.


The 26-year-old Captain of Signal Corps, posted at the Alwar military station in Rajasthan, filed a sexual harassment complaint against the Commanding Officer of her unit. On the basis of her complaint, the committee on sexual harassment of women at work place found prima facie evidence against the Commanding Officer, who is a senior Colonel, and recommended further disciplinary action against him.

Commissioned into the Indian Army in March 2013, the officer was posted in Alwar in February this year, after her participation in the prestigious Republic Day Parade. It was on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directive that ‘woman power’ or ‘naari shakti’ was made the predominant theme for this year’s Republic Day parade, where US President Barrack Obama was the chief guest.

But soon after joining her first posting, the officer’s ordeal began. On her arrival to the new unit, the first question her Commanding Officer asked her was whether she had a boyfriend. And this was just the beginning. The officer alleged that the senior officer not only touched her private parts but also made various sexual remarks about her. For instance, “When a lady officer salutes, people look at her breasts and when they pass by people look at their butts”. Such remarks made to her have been mentioned in her detailed complaint to the Brigade Commander of the unit.

Quoting another instance, she wrote, “He called me in his office and told my panty is visible on every dress whether uniform, formals or PT dress. He kept asking me to change the pattern of panty I wear. I got embarrassed.”


After being sexually harassed for nearly six months, the officer finally decided to raise her voice and sent a detailed complaint to Brigade Commander of 3 Signal Group, Southwestern Command headquarters in Pune on August 13.

In her handwritten complaint to the headquarters, she has narrated nearly 10 instances of sexual harassment. Sadly, the army authorities waited for almost two months before they reacted to her complaint. Unable to find any solution to her complaint, lady officer on 26 September wrote the Army Chief General Dalbir Singh. “I am approaching you bypassing all channels for redressal of my grievances because an earlier attempt to do the same through proper channel has failed to provide me justice on complaint,” she wrote . Subsequently, on October 1, a committee presided by a Major-rank female officer was formed to look into her complaints. “Committee has heard the complaint and has opined that necessary action as per provision of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act 2013) be initiated against the Colonel. It is requested that necessary steps be initiated for deposition of Colonel before the Committee,” Major Vandana Shukla, Presiding Officer of the Committee, wrote to the Alwar Military Station headquarters on October 2.

“I am the proud father of an Army Officer who marched down the Rajpath this year to showcase ‘woman power’. I am absolutely disappointed today and the reason is that my daughter was sexually harassed by her Commanding Officer and she complained to the higher-ups. In the name of taking action, the higher officials gave him (the erring colonel) a plum posting. Now my little child is trying her best to not let her head drop or shoulders droop,” the father wrote in the letter sent last week.

Stating that his daughter’s complaint has finally come to the internal committee, he said, “But the reason I am writing to you is not about the sexual harassment alone but the way it was handled by the senior officials who had the rank of Brigadier and Major General.” As per the law, the authorities are suppose to set up a committee within 48 hours of a sexual harassment complaint being filed. The army took nearly two months to form such a committee.

This incident and the letter of the officer’s father comes at a time when the government is considering giving combat roles to female officers in the armed forces. Only last week, the Indian Air Force chief has made an announcement that the force will soon have women fighter pilots. But it seems women in the armed forces are yet to get their basic rights.

Sexual Harassment in Indian Army Shocks the Ranks -The New Indian Express

Though such cases comes to light only very rarely, it is common in the Indian army. The strict discipline and hierarchy and aspiration for promotion suppresses most of the complaints. Even though, any one dared to lodge a complaint against the senior officers,the court martial proceedings will try to exonerate the senior officers. Armed forces is such an organisation which has military court of which objective is to establish discipline not to meet the end of justice. I therefore suggest such cases against women must be tried by civil courts so that the interest of justice shall be upheld.

 

[45'22']

You are a low-life moron.

A troll doesnt have to tell me what i am

 

[waz]

Those who started the religious trolling and those who responded have been banned. Not for long. Several days to a week. I don't understand your utter stupidity and bigotry.

 

[General Observer]

Oh that is your taste I can't comment on that...

but about white woman especially foreign ones are considered as sluts in India (sorry to use that kind of language) people here seem to have a mentality that foreign women will sleep with anyone etc etc etc...so yes they are considered as a steal just for one night stand....

No, they're considered a 'steal' because they are literally stolen. They are out of the league of Indian men, so many and often at times physically steal them off the streets and resort to rape

 

[Areesh]

Forget IA as a proof I can post a picture of a old grandma and you would start drooling over it like a dog. Tharak is something on which you guys have no control

But the thread is about harassment in Indian army. Thread exposes your tharak that is lailaj.

 

[longewala]

Rare cases of sexually harassment in a large army like India = shocking news, with the perpetrators punished.
Mass rapes numbering in the millions by the pakistani army in Bangladesh = no surprise, not a single soldier punished.

Sums up just how much is the gap between the two countries.

 

[Indian Patriot]

A troll doesnt have to tell me what i am

You are right. It is the mods who have shown you your true place. Good riddance.

 

[Assange]

No, they're considered a 'steal' because they are literally stolen. They are out of the league of Indian men, so many and often at times physically steal them off the streets and resort to rape

May be you are speaking about it in a general terms...the ground reality is different....

Have you ever seen a bollywood movie songs most of the half naked girls who are dancing in songs are imported....The mind set of the people is like that...They consider these Caucasians women as sluts....

I also have to agree to your point to some extent also...when a women who is speaking in English and wears a modern dress is also considered as sluts in this country to some extent....

People should change their mind set first to stop these kind of harassment....Changing of mind set should start from schools and colleges...But i really don't know when this change will come to this country....

 

[waz]

Thread went off-topic. Thank you for the meaningful posts.