In our national armies, the discrimination against women is awful, second-rate and unfortunate. Despite the Supreme Court’s statement in February 2020, the remarks that many women officers in the army have not received permanent commission despite their fitness, other qualifications and conditions were totally correct. This discriminatory and conservative nature of the army is not acceptable. It seems that there is a difference between the government’s actions and actions regarding women in the army. The government also has to make announcements to remove all female discrimination; it is obsessed with the male mind-set, that’s why the court has to adopt a tough attitude.
The special thing is that in February last year, the Supreme Court allowed women officers in the army to be eligible for command posts at par with men. Even then, the court had termed the government’s arguments as ‘discriminatory’, disturbing and based on conservatism. The court also said that permanent commission will be available for all women irrespective of their service period. During the hearing of the petition, the court has termed compulsory medical fitness for women as ‘arbitrary’ and ‘irrational’. The court said that the late implementation of the Army’s Annual Confidential Report i.e. ACR assessment and medical fitness criteria is discriminatory for women officers. The court has also spoken of giving permanent commission to women in the past.
This time, the court has termed the assessment process as disturbing to the women officers. The Bench said- “SSC i.e. The Short Service Commission harms women officers financially and mentally due to the method of assessment. The creators of these situations are the government and their discriminatory policies; the government has a second-rate mentality, double standards. For these reasons, the Supreme Court on Thursday termed the Army’s standards on the permanent commission of women as absurd and arbitrary. Although the Delhi High Court had given a decision to give permanent commission to women in the army about eleven years ago, the fact is that the decision is still not fully implemented. Work in this direction started in the year 2019, but in the year 2020, the Supreme Court once again had to make arrangements that there is no discrimination against women in the army.
Despite clear orders from the court, discrimination, neglect and arbitrary treatment of women in the army has continued, due to which women have to knock the doors of the Supreme Court for their rights and now the Supreme Court has taken a look at the perspective of the army, government and society. This will build confidence, a new environment, an opportunity to sort out the obstructing clouds on their realization in women. The court has contended that the structure of Indian society is such that it is made by men and for men. Even today, if this thing is required to be explained at the level of the Supreme Court, then it is a tragedy, a great irony. The government’s declaration of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabaka Vishwas - is meaningless. Indeed, women should get their full rights; men have no right to impose decisions on women. Along with this, the court has asked the army to reconsider the application of 650 women within two months and give a permanent commission. It is very necessary to break the walls of these women discrimination tragedy standing in front of the light rays of women equality, for which the court has created a new history by showing its activism and awareness.
The Supreme Court found that the method of estimating the ability of women posted in the Short Service Commission in the Army is arbitrary and absurd. If this method were right, women officers would not have to apply to the Supreme Court. The court, in its 137-page judgment, also said that there are some things which never seem to be harmful, but in which there are signs of fraud of the patriarchal system. Is, because in multiple decisions, we have seen some judges being patriarchal.
However, the court appeared in favour of women on Thursday, it will surely give women the basic morale for further struggle. This is a clear acceptance of women’s value and quality. Woman is the axis on which not only family, society but army carriage can run properly. In the future, this woman will become a strong force of the army; there is no doubt about it. But for this, the army will have to improve its standards in the coming days. It is an old belief that what work does women do in the army? When women are ready for deployment on every front, on what basis will they be able to stop them? Those deserving women, who have the desire to remain in the army, should not be lost after ten or twenty years of service. They should take full advantage of their experience by making them officers and retire at the age fixed for men. Creating separate norms to prevent them from moving forward and obstructing the way to give them command or responsibility through various excuses is not only malevolence, but also disregard of the constitution.
Justice DY Chandrachud said that “many women officers had won many awards before the court.” Many have done a great job on assignments abroad. ”They have also questioned the board to be formed for the selection of women. The court has also questioned the selection process while awarding the verdict in favour of women. The court said, “We find out that those who performed brilliantly in sports were also ignored.” It is significant that in the judgment, the court has also included a large list of achievements of women. The court said, “It seems that the board sits for rejections rather than selection.”
Of course, not every woman will go to the front, but letting the woman who wants to go is the right justice, this is the voice of today. Over time, a change in the mind-set of the army is necessary. Proper participation of women in our army will make it more decent, social, capable and effective. For ages, self-reliant women have not only realized their identity and self-power, but have also sparked a revolution in their individuality and motherhood consciousness, which has attacked the mind-set of discrimination, inequality, stereotyping, and understanding them as inferior. The male class accepts women as flesh, but modern women have shown their abilities and power in front of them on the strength of their diverse imperative talents and skills, and the same is being given to the government, society and men to discriminate against them. If the court is giving wings to their competence, then it is the emergence of the structure of a conscious and equality-oriented society.
|
