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Sexual Harassment in Indian Army

MarkTheTruth

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Although the confidence of the Indian soldiers over their leadership has already been shattering due to their involvement in malpractices such as land mafia groups, bribery and financial embezzlements, yet sexual harassment, raping women and involvement in sex scandals have given a greater blow to the Indian Army.

In this connection, recently, in a major humiliation for the Army, Lieutenant General A K Nanda, the Engineer-in-Chief, has been forced to resign by Army Chief Gen. V K Singh after a complaint that he molested the wife of his technical secretary and committed sexual misconduct during a visit to Israel. The Times of India also verified this news and reported that the complaint was filed by the wife of Nanda’s technical secretary to Army Chief’s wife and the President of the Army Wives Welfare Association Bharti Singh, who promptly put it up before Gen. Singh.

About a year ago, Nanda had taken over as the Engineer-in-Chief and had earlier served as the Director General of the Border Roads Organisation. Nanda’s technical secretary, who had expressed his displeasure and unwillingness to work under Nanda, had been posted to Bhopal.

According to the Indian sources, while feeling guilty, Lt. Gen. Nanda has already put in his papers. He is the senior-most Army officer to face such action over sexual misconduct charges.

Some credible reports suggest that Indian army chief has also tasked intelligence agency to identify all black sheep of the force. But in this respect, there are numbers of officers and soldiers present in the force has remarked that new chief too believes in favouritism and nepotism. Reports also reveal that officers have grouped themselves into Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and Research Analysis Wing (RAW) owing to the prevailing panic among the serving officers. There are some officers who opine that Lt Gen. A.k. Nanda has been trapped and punished because of his difference with the present chief, and having connection with RAW. Thus the tug of war between two agencies has also created tension, demoralizing effects in all ranks of Indian Army.

Lt. Col. R.S. Johar Retd Jalandhar said that he was really shocked to read this news regarding Lt.Gen. Nanda since he knew this officer for more than 35 years.

However, this new event shows that in the Indian Army, cases of sexual harassment of the women are on increase. There are number of pending cases in which the army officers particularly lady officers asked inquires against their bosses or comrades in connection with sexual harassment. According to the media, more than 40 cases of sexual harassment have been reported during the last seven years. Indian armed forces are male dominated forces and never wanted to see flourishing of females in these forces. Therefore, from the very beginning, women have been discouraged to join the armed forces. On September 18, 2009, in a case of female recruitment, while addressing the Delhi High Court, Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramanium has submitted before Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that the granting of permanent commission to women officers on short service commission in the Indian Army is not possible.

It is a surprise to listen that Indian government itself is promoting prostitution in the lady troops deployed in border areas. In this context, on April 10 2007, CNN revealed that 28 years old Smriti and 26 years old Suhag were Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constables on duty in strife-torn Kashmir, found involved in the profession of prostitution. Another case of sexual harassment is that in July 2008, Captain Poonam Kaur of the Army Supply Corps (ASC) alleged her three colleague officers for mental and sexual harassment. She also disclosed that she had been confined illegally when she resisted their advances. On her complaint, the army authorities constituted a court of inquiry whereby all three officers denied the allegations. In that regard, the culprits were not punished.

Indian Ministry of Defence reported that it filed 17 rape cases against army personnel whereas media reported 20 cases of rapes in 2003-2004 and this figure increased to 80 till December, 2008.

On 7 August 2007, BBC indicated: “in July, 2007, the Indian army’s Capt Megha Razdan was found shot dead at her home in Jammu, in Indian-administered Kashmir. The officer had apparently taken her own life, leaving behind a suicide note. But her father, Arun Kumar Razdan, alleges foul play. He says his daughter was murdered by someone in the army…she was very happy and had spent just over two years in the army. She wanted to serve the country,” BBC further reported that in 2006 another woman officer, Lt Sushmita Chakravorty, shot herself dead. Her parents accused the army of harassment. BBC also pointed out that five cases of sexual harassment were filed by women officers against their male counterparts between 2002 and 2006. And India’s 1.1 million-strong army has only 1,000 women officers.

Although there are systems in place in the army to deal with complaints of sexual harassment by seniors and other complaints, yet same are not working appropriately due to a number of lacunas.

Human rights activists are of the opinion that the Indian Army goes by the Army Act while probing allegations of sexual abuse. But in the process it may be blatantly overlooking guidelines issued by the Supreme Court on sexual harassment at workplace.

The Army Act 1950, which was formulated for men when women had not been inducted into the forces, does not have specific provisions dealing with cases of sexual abuse. The allegations are generally shelved with “unbecoming conduct” on the part of officers.

A senior Indian Army official told IANS requesting anonymity, “We do not go by the Supreme Court’s guidelines. The army officers first come under the Army Act and we take serious note of sexual allegations.”

Former judge advocate general of Indian Army Maj. Gen. Neelendra Kumar said: “The army has a standing policy that every case of serious nature invariably goes to the military court. The Supreme Court guidelines are not applicable as we have the Army Act.”

The apex court had issued guidelines for conducting inquiries into cases of sexual harassment in August 1997 judgment and these are meant to be applied in the absence of any specific legislation.

K.P.S. Satheesh, Chairman of NGO, The Guardian Foundation remarked, “In the absence of legislation to provide for guarantee against sexual harassment and abuse, particularly, the Supreme Court has laid down guidelines and norms for due observance at all workplaces or other institutions in India, until legislation is enacted for the purpose.”

There are reports that till today, only two or three rape cases have been concluded so far in a guilty verdict, while in the remaining cases, the investigations are still in process or have been terminated because of tremendous pressure on the presidents of the court of inquiries, investigating officers or the eye witnesses.

Nevertheless amidst other causes of sexual harassment of the women such as frustration, long hours of duties etc. use of undue wine is said to be major reason behind sexual assaults on the female genders. In this context, young lot of Indian married officers hesitate in attending family functions with their wives, while in most of such functions, seniors officers found losing their senses due to excessive drink. In the recent past, a senior Indian Army officer assaulted the wife of a junior subordinate officer, and the name of the officer has not been mentioned to conceal the identity.

Nonetheless, sexual harassment continues against the women in the Indian Army.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations.

MTT%20-%20India%20-%20Sexual%20harassment%20raping%20women%20and%20involvement%20in%20sex%20scandals%20have%20given%20a%20greater%20blow%20to%20the%20Indian%20Army.jpg

MTT - India - Sexual harassment raping women and involvement in sex scandals have given a greater blow to the Indian Army

Sexual Harassment in Indian Army
 
It is a surprise to listen that Indian government itself is promoting prostitution in the lady troops deployed in border areas. In this context, on April 10 2007, CNN revealed that 28 years old Smriti and 26 years old Suhag were Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constables on duty in strife-torn Kashmir, found involved in the profession of prostitution. Another case of sexual harassment is that in July 2008, Captain Poonam Kaur of the Army Supply Corps (ASC) alleged her three colleague officers for mental and sexual harassment. She also disclosed that she had been confined illegally when she resisted their advances. On her complaint, the army authorities constituted a court of inquiry whereby all three officers denied the allegations. In that regard, the culprits were not punished.

Dont peddle this BS. This news has been proven to be false on other threads and there are no sources to back it up apart from the likes of Ahmed Quereshi and yourself.

Have some decency and respect for a nation's army, even if they are not your own.
 
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Dont know about the minority report and sexual harassment being true.. but there are sure a lot of scandals in every army. Maybe the people in question were just getting it on... ;)
 
Selective amnesia or rather cherry picking..?

So a article written by a noted India basher on a Pakistani news site/Blog becomes the most credible source in the world.:hitwall:
 
Victimization of women officers in Indian Army
May 28, 2010

Indian Army started recruiting women officers in 1993. Today there are around 1,000 female officers in Indian Army, all in non-combat roles. Since their induction a number of women officers were punished for various offences. In majority of cases sexual harassment by the senior male officers was resented but it resulted in victimization of various natures. Usually a legal process was involved to authenticate the victimization. Hence as an undeclared remedial measure, punishment is awarded to vocal women officers who dare challenge senior officers. There are a number of examples where even Court Martial proceedings have been initiated against women officers who resented sexual harassment from senior Indian Army officers. The cases of Army Service Corps (ASC) officer Captain Poonam Kaur and officer of Judge Advocate General branch Major Dimple Singla is in front of us where instead of taking action against Indian senior officers, a retaliatory action was taken and both were dismissed from service. Major Dimple Singla, was tried on corruption charges in 2006 at Chandigarh and dismissed but she was bold enough to challenge her unlawful dismissal. There are also cases, including the one in Indian held Jammu and Kashmir, where women officer due to sexual harassment committed suicide. There is a long list of women in Indian Army who quietly bear all sort of sexual harassment by their seniors due to fear of further victimization and dismissal.

As regard to Captain Poonam Kaur, she lodged complaint on July 15, 2008 against three officers of her unit, 5682 Battalion of the Army Supply Corps based in Kalka, Haryana for mentally and sexually harassing her and confining her illegally when she resisted their advances. The officers included Colonel R K Sharma, Commanding Officer, the Lieutenant Colonel Chawla, Second-in-Command and Major Suraj Bhan, Adjutant of the unit. A Court of Inquiry (COI) was ordered to investigate the allegations leveled by Captain Kaur against her superior officers. The President COI was pressurized by Crops Commander, a serving Lieutenant General and other senior officers to save the involved officers. Resultantly President COI recommended a Court Martial against Captain Kaur for false charges. The Army court’s decision will now be put up to the Western Army Commander Lieutenant GeneralT K Sapru for confirmation. Captain Kaur has been blamed for addressing the media pertaining to service matters but what other choice she had before her. Nobody was ready to listen to her grievances rather she was harassed and literally placed under house arrest in her quarters in Kalka. Later, an officer of Major General-rank visited her quarters to pressurize her to take back her allegations against three senior officers but she refused to meet him. It is true that India Army has issued orders for her dismissal of Captain Kaur while Western Army Commander, Lieutenant General T K Sapru is also going to confirm the punishment but is it a justice in India Army.

India should not forget that a good number of its officers really need vigilance to keep them within their shoes. Indian Army’s behaviour not only at home but also internationally is full of spots. In 2007 a Lieutenant Colonel and two Majors of the Indian Army, seconded to the North Kivu brigade in MONUC were detained by South African Police after a woman resident of Plettenberg Bay in Pretoria charged them with rape. There are also other reports of rape committed by the Indian soldiers in Sudan, Ethiopia and Lebanon, where they are the part of peacekeeping mission. Indian Army at New Delhi also initiated a court of inquiry against some of its personnel in July 2008 in the same context but failed to take any strict disciplinary action against them. The report prepared by the United Nations office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) said that Indian peace keepers in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in order to recover $480 they paid as part of a gold deal in DRC, illegally detained, physically assaulted and “sexually propositioned” a local gold trader who had sold them counterfeit gold dust.

It is now over 16 years that females are being recruited in Indian Army. They were expected to work shoulder to shoulder with Indian male officers in the security and defence of India. From the day one, Indian Ministry of Defence had to face a numerous problems as regard to the term and condition of service of female Army personnel and matters relating to disciple. However, the main problem is non-recognization of women in Indian Army. They are being treated as lesser creation. The uncalled for statements of Indian Army officers like Lieutenant General S Pattabhiraman that the view from the Indian Army ranks and files was that they could do without women proves that Indian Army is gender bias. There is no doubt, women in Indian Army are not safe from victimization and sexual harassment. Embarrassing situation was faced when on the very first year after passing out from Indian Military Academy (IMA) Deradun, sexual harassment was faced by certain women officers. The matter, however, was tactfully handled by the Crops Commander by posting out of aggrieved officers to her station of choice. Captain Kaur has been blamed for bringing service matter to media but had the allegations of sexual harassment not come out in the media, then people would have never known what is actually happening in Indian Army and that the women are not safe in Indian Army. It is media due to which Major Dimple Singla’s court martial was later stayed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2007. Women officers in Indian Army are hopeful that if there is a slightest strength in Indian judicial system Captain Kaur is also going to be reinstated.

Victimization of women officers in Indian Army Fact and Truth
 
Though i dont agree with many things written by Sajjad Shaukat who is running Mark The Truth BUT if we talk about this harassment issue of women officers in Indian forces then indeed there is something.

Such cases have been reported time to time.

The concerned people know well how to deal with it or how to address it and they may be doing it. So instead of denying there must be some study over the reasons why such things are happening.
 
This all happens because of out stupid South Asian conservative culture, most of the people are not having sex (not even once) before marriage and now with time progressing we are seeing, age to get married being increasing adding to frustration. Plus more frustration is when someone in your class or college is getting or doing and you are just sitting and seeing happening!!

Here I met a lady who had sex with 15 different men!! it was so frustrating since my sensibility doesn't allow doing like that, can't get married and can't find the right girl :undecided::undecided::undecided:

Sometimes I can understand Army men frustration :undecided::undecided:


P.S-: Not every women is innocent, some are extremely horny, they gave such reasons like not enough love, emotional attachment, late 30 yrs horny-ness!! it's just men get the bad name.
 
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Though i dont agree with many things written by Sajjad Shaukat who is running Mark The Truth BUT if we talk about this harassment issue of women officers in Indian forces then indeed there is something.

Such cases have been reported time to time.

The concerned people know well how to deal with it or how to address it and they may be doing it. So instead of denying there must be some study over the reasons why such things are happening.

hey, by the way my name is Sajjad Ahmad and not Sajjad Shaukat. Sajjad Shaukat Sahab is a very famous and renowned writer of Pakistan, whose articles always proved to be full with good amount of research and analysis. While I am just running the website, where u reading the articles of Sajjad Shaukat.

And congratulations on your new website. and thanks for not agreeing on all things with me. Your site looks great, even better than mine. wish u best of luck. Though, you now have ur own site but your writeups are still welcome at MTT.yea?
 
This all happens because of out stupid South Asian conservative culture, most of the people are not having sex (not even once) before marriage and now with time progressing we are seeing, age to get married being increasing adding to frustration. Plus more frustration is when someone in your class or college is getting or doing and you are just sitting and seeing happening!!

Here I met a lady who had sex with 15 different men!! it was so frustrating since my sensibility doesn't allow doing like that, can't get married and can't find the right girl :undecided::undecided::undecided:

Sometimes I can understand Army men frustration :undecided::undecided:


P.S-: Not every women is innocent, some are extremely horny, they gave such reasons like not enough love, emotional attachment, late 30 yrs horny-ness!! it's just men get the bad name.

I shall suggest you to marry her. This way you will save her from prostitution and also your frustration will be over:azn: what you say:azn::blink:
 
This probably can explain why sexual harassment common in India Army

Crime Statistics > Rapes (most recent) by country

Showing latest available data.
Rank Countries Amount
# 1 United States: 95,136
# 2 South Africa: 52,425
# 3 Canada: 24,350
# 4 Australia: 15,630
# 5 India: 15,468

Rapes statistics - countries compared - NationMaster

Take into account 1.2 billion population which is not raping when compared to 300 million population of US non raping.
 

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