A woman army officer, who had taken part in the Republic Day parade this year to showcase ‘Nari Shakti’, has filed a sexual harassment case against her commanding officer.
The 26-year-old Captain of the Signal Corps is posted at Alwar Military Station in Rajasthan and was commissioned into the Indian Army only in March 2013.
The woman officer’s father has now written a letter about the incident to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
I am the proud father of an Army Officer who marched down the Rajpath this year to showcase the ‘woman power’. I am absolutely disappointed today and the reason is that my daughter was sexually harassed by her Commanding Officer and she complained to the higher ups. In the name of taking action, the higher officials gave him a plum posting and before leaving the unit, the commanding officer decided to tarnish the image of my child. Now my little child is trying her best to not let her head drop or shoulders drool.
— Woman Officer’s Father to Def Min Parrikar
The committee on sexual harassment of women has recommended “necessary action” to be initiated against her commanding officer.
The committee met nearly a month after the original complaint was filed.
The father of the officer said that since now his daughter’s complaint has finally come to the internal committee on sexual harassment, he is sure the case will get its well deserved hearing.
The complaint has come at a time when there is a renewed debate in the defence echelons about how to increase role of women officers.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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