The assault on Capt of 22 Sikh Regiment and his fiancée in Odisha took a decisive turn only after Army Chief Gen. Upendra Dwivedi directly intervened, calling Defense Minister Rajnath Singh for swift action. Despite the delay in local authorities’ response, the Indian Army once again demonstrated its unwavering support for its soldiers, reminiscent of its strong stance in the historic 1959 case. The Army’s commitment to protecting its personnel, both on and off duty, remains resolute and uncompromising.
The historic case of 1959
In 1959, an incident in Amritsar highlighted the Indian Army’s staunch commitment to protecting women’s dignity, a principle deeply embedded in its code of conduct. On a routine evening, a group of Army officers and their wives gathered at the local railway station to bid farewell to a fellow officer. Their peaceful gathering was disrupted when a group of local hooligans, emboldened by alcohol, began hurling vulgar comments and gestures towards the women.
At first, the Army officers chose to ignore the provocations, hoping to avoid confrontation. However, when the goons approached the women with clear intentions of physical harassment, the officers were forced to act. Upon realizing they had angered trained soldiers, the miscreants fled and sought refuge inside a nearby cinema hall, believing its crowded nature would shield them from any retaliation.
Indian Army’s firm stance:
The incident was reported to Colonel Jyoti Mohan Sen, the Commanding Officer of the local unit. Outraged by the harassment endured by the officers’ wives, Col. Sen decided on swift and decisive action, despite the political risk involved—one of the goons was the son of Pratap Singh Kairon, the then Chief Minister of Punjab and a close confidant of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Undeterred, Col. Sen ordered his troops to surround the cinema hall where the goons had taken refuge. Soldiers swiftly entered the venue, identified the culprits, and dragged them out. In a symbolic move, the goons, including Kairon’s son, were stripped to their underwear and paraded through the streets of Amritsar. This public humiliation served as a stark reminder that no political connections could protect those who disrespected women, especially the wives of Army officers.
The miscreants were detained in the Army cantonment overnight. Furious, Chief Minister Kairon demanded the release of his son and the others, hoping to use his political influence to intervene. However, when Kairon’s vehicle arrived at the cantonment, it was stopped at the gates, following strict military protocol. Kairon had no choice but to walk inside like any ordinary citizen, a further blow to his pride.
Meeting with Col. Sen, Kairon insisted on his son’s immediate release. Col. Sen remained firm, only releasing the goons after delivering a stern warning that such behavior would never be tolerated, no matter who was involved. The Chief Minister’s son and his companions left; their arrogance shattered by the Army’s unyielding discipline.
The incident sparked national controversy when Kairon escalated the matter to Prime Minister Nehru, expecting action against Col. Sen and his men. Nehru, seeking clarity, consulted Army Chief General Kodandera Subayya Thimmayya.
General Thimmayya, known for his steadfast principles, delivered a blunt response to Nehru:
“If we cannot defend the honor of our women, how can you expect us to defend the honor of our country?”
This powerful statement silenced Nehru, who recognized the Army’s moral stance. No punitive action was taken against Col. Sen or his troops. General Thimmayya’s words would go on to become a symbol of the Indian Army’s unwavering commitment to protecting women’s dignity, a value held as sacred as defending the nation itself.
