Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury lauds SC verdict challenging gender stereotype in Indian Army

After the Supreme Court on Monday pronounced its verdict on setting up of a permanent commission for women in the armed forces and called for a change in the mindset with regards to 'gender stereotypes', Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury hailed the Supreme Court's verdict and cited examples of women coming forward in various other fields and have surpassed the men in any domain.

"Supreme Court's judgement is a revolutionary verdict. Today women are no less than men in any field. Women pilots were sent by America when it fought against Afghanistan and also against Osama Bin Laden. Be it transparency, capability, intelligence, women are not behind in anything," said Chowdhury while praising the SC verdict.

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'Sexual discrimination is inequality'

Speaking in favour of the SC judgement, Chowdhury also cited the union budget which stated that girl students were surpassing boys in education. Chowdhury called it sexual discrimination to call women inferior. "Today, the thought process of the whole nation has changed. Today, women have surpassed men. Sexual discrimination is inequality which needed to be fixed," said Chowdhury.

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The veteran leader has also called for a change in the mindset in the Indian Army. "Along with a change in the government's mindset, there is a need to change the army's mindset as well. Because our army is from a rural background and backward areas which still have a conservative thought process," said Chowdhury.

The Supreme Court in its order observed that there was a requirement for a change of mindset when it came to 'gender stereotypes' and setting up of a commission would help women hold the positions of command thereby slowly challenging these stereotypes. 

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The order of the SC comes on the recent plea by the Ministry of Defence in the Delhi High Court. A massive controversy had broken out when the Centre had stated that the women were not 'fit' to give orders since the men will be unwilling to take orders in the subordinate positions. It had stated that most men in the army are brought in from rural areas and such men would not be willing to take orders from women in dominant positions. It also stated that in times of war, women in command would be hard hit when they would be taken as prisoners of war and hence they needed to be kept away from positions of command.

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