My Report: Don’t Make All Cantonment Roads Public, Say Army Wives

It’s Army wives versus Nirmala Sitharaman

Dear Defence Minister, army wives have a request to make.

(Photo: File/Altered by Harsh Sahani/The Quint)

Video Editor: Rahul Sanpui

Army wives are not happy with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s decision to open all closed roads in cantonments to the public. On 20 May, Sitharaman passed an order, instructing that all roads in 62 cantonments across India, be opened up to the public.

Delhi, Badami Bagh Cantonment, Srinagar, Satwari Cantt Jammu and Kannur Cantonment were exempted from this list.

A number of women, married to Army personnel, wrote to the Defence Ministry, requesting her to withdraw the order.

On 31 May 2018, Sitharaman had ensured a delegation of Army wives that a review will be carried out within a month.

However, advocate Asmita Tagore, who is one of the signatories, told The Quint no action has been taken so far.

It’s been a month and no review of decision has been taken by MoD. It hasn’t been brought to public notice thus far.

Asmita Tagore, Advocate

The complainants claim unrestricted access to cantonment areas puts their families at risk since their spouses are often posted in far-off areas.

We’ve seen terrorist entering cantonment areas and targeting the Army families. It happened in Sanjuwan, Uri, Pathankot, Samba and Nagrota. 

Madhu Rana, Army wife