Image Credit: Economic TimesNo Place For Homosexuality In Indian Army, Says Chief Bipin Rawat
|While the army chief is talking about strengthening the army capacities for future wars, he is missing out on some key affairs. In December 2018, Army chief General Bipin Rawat stirred up a controversy when he said that the Indian Army has no place for a woman. In an exclusive interview with News18, Bipin Rawat had listed down a number of reasons why women should not be included in the army.
He said that women would absolutely require maternity leaves and the Indian army cannot give it to them. He also said how a woman’s body is different than that of a man’s and said that as women are mothers, the country would not be able to handle the dead body of a slain woman soldier.
He further said that most of the jawans in the army are from small villages and they will not be able to stand taking instruction from a woman. He further said that women will complain about men peeping into the bathrooms when the women are changing.
Homosexuality not accepted in Army
With these bizarre statements, the army chief told the country that women are not welcome in the Indian army. The fault being the man’s.
Now, on January 10, Bipin Rawat again showed complete disregard for humanity and also for the Supreme Court’s decision. He said that homosexuality and adultery are not accepted within the army. He said that the army is conservative and LGBT issues “are not acceptable”.
During the press conference, when asked about the Supreme Court’s decision on homosexuality and adultery, Rawat said ”We have neither modernised nor westernised,” reported The Indian Express.
Regarding LGBTQ issues, he further said, “We certainly are not above the country’s law. But when we join the Indian Army, some of the rights and privileges authorised to civilians by the Constitution are not authorised to me. The Supreme Court has said something and we have to see how we take a call. Let us also see how this comes into society.”
Being a woman in front of patriarchy
The Indian army is a self-proclaimed conservative institution, which has no regard for women as human beings, but rather a mute spectator of patriarchy. The fact that the jawans can shamelessly peep at women while they are changing does not enrage Mr Rawat. What he cares about are the complaining women.
The army and Mr Rawat has been so institutionalised with age-old traditions and customs, he thinks that a woman’s life goal is to give birth to a child. With India’s evergrowing population, is it even necessary anymore?
Why will jawans not listen to a woman? Why are we encouraging the kind of behaviour where women are not taken seriously, even when they are clearly at a better position professionally than men? Why cannot the Army chief instil such good behaviour among the most celebrated people of our country?
“We are not modern or westernised”
While talking about homosexuality, he said that Indian army is neither modern nor westernised to accept same-sex couples. But, since when is being homosexual a modern idea or a westernised concept?
One in ten people in this world identifies as homosexuals. Just because they differ from the norm, does not make them aliens that our culture would be so offended to accept it. It is high time the premier institution accepts the welcome changes that our country has slowly tried to adopt.
A person’s sexuality has nothing to do with their skill or their talent.
Also read: All You Need To Know About The New Indian Army Chief And The Controversy Over His Appointment