Thanks to people like Rahul Gandhi and the hypocrite feminists (Feminazis in popular lingo), women empowerment is more of a joke than a cause to be taken up. They way these two have dealt with the subject is not only deplorable; it is laughable to say the least. However, trust people like Manohar Parrikar to bring back the sanity to this subject.
If sources are to be believed, Manohar Parrikar our defense ministers has proposed an all women’s battalion in all the three forces, for combat purposes.
In a seminar organized by FICCI FLO, the IIT Mumbai (then Bombay) graduate and ex CM of Goa said, “There is a thinking that soldiers will not listen to a Commanding Officer who is a lady because they are not trained to do that. I don’t agree with this as the only restriction today is infrastructure,”
“In combat roles also there can be women. Why not have a complete women team, battalion of women. So the question of women officers leading a men’s team, if there is question of initial resistance to it, can also be taken care of,” he said.
What does this mean?
This implies that Manohar Parrikar is advocating for a complete women’s battalion, especially in all the armed forces, whether Army, Navy or Air Force. He said that a psychological barrier for the same has been broken by the induction of Bhavana Kanth, Mohana Singh and Avani Chaturvedi into the Indian Air Force as the fighter pilots.
Mooting for an all women’s battalion is nothing new to India. Much before women were officially inducted, our esteemed revolutionary, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, advocated for participation of women in his struggle for independence. True to his words, he also constituted an all women and girls regiment, named the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, comprising future heroines like Chief of Medical Staff, Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan, Lieutenant Manvati Arya, famous teen spy Saraswathi Rajamani among others.
Recently, post the ascent of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India in 2014, women are being gradually, but significantly being allowed more say in the defence sector. 2015 Republic Day Celebrations saw a drastic change, when Wing Commander Pooja Thakur was assigned the command of the Guard of Honor, normally a male only bastion. If that was enough, for the first time, an all women’s contingent from each of the armed forces marched down the Rajpath at the Republic Day Celebrations, with Captain Divya Ajith leading the Army contingent, Lieutenant Commander Sandhya Chauhan leading the Navy contingent and Squadron Leader Sneha Shekhawat leading the Air Force contingent.
Although in the words of Manohar Parrikar, it would happen gradually, but if it becomes the reality, India would become the latest entrant in the select club of nations having an all women’s battalion for combat purposes. Besides, Shri Manohar Parrikar has also proposed the idea of inducting women through the National Defence Academy and Sainik schools.
Ruing that the bureaucratic corruption compelled the file on induction of women to reach him after nearly four months, despite his own personal interest into the same, Shri Parrikar said, “I support women rights, empowerment but I believe changes have to be done in a gradual manner because if you don’t do that there will be problems,” he said.
As of now, women are not permanently inducted into the Indian Army, and as per the Short Service Commission, serve the tenure of barely 5 to 15 years. However, in the medical sector, they are allowed for Permanent Commission and pension after retirement. They are eligible to compete only through the Combined Defence Services Exam, and not the NDA one. Shri Parrikar’s interest will break all these barriers, if they turn into the reality.
What Manohar Parrikar is signaling towards is a radical step that will give women a genuine chance to serve the nation. In a country rife with tales of women warriors, from the mythological Kaikeyi, to the brave tribal queen Durgavati, this is nothing short of a cultural victory. Even though it is a tough task ahead, we are proud of Shri Manohar Parrikar, that he is personally interested in this case. Please go ahead, we Indians are with you.
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