Ghazala Wahab

In his recent interview (given to a news channel in mid-December), the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Bipin Rawat spoke at length on why the Indian Army is not ready for women combat officers. ‘Women in combat’ is not just a contentious subject, it is also one which brings out passionate reactions from both — aspiring women who wish to shatter yet another glass ceiling and the Indian Army officers fiercely holding the ceiling in place lest it starts to crack.

While both the disruptors and the resistance have valid arguments, strangely enough Gen. Rawat chose the most chauvinistic, illogical and factually untenable points to insist why the Indian Army will not have lady combatants any time soon. From “…there are orders that we have to cocoon her separately. She will say somebody is peeping, so we will have to give a sheet around her” to “I make her a commanding officer. She is commanding a battalion. Can that lady officer be away from her duties for six months? Do I put a restriction on her to say that in that command tenure you will not be given maternity leave? If I say that, there will be ruckus created,” his arguments were infantilising women at best and ridiculous at wo