• 2 days ago
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Transcript
00:00Rahul, what you have asked for the women officers. Firstly, General Puri, the letter which got
00:13leaked out, should not have got leaked out, a court inquiry has been ordered about it.
00:18It is a perception, it is his perception, he has all right to give that perception and
00:23comment, it is an internal communication. Now what we have to see that when we made
00:28them commanding officers, what were the situations. This was based on the Supreme Court order
00:35and where the complete process was accelerated. As you are aware, when we make a commanding
00:42officer, we give them various exposures at various fields, we make them do various courses.
00:48Like for them, JC was not done, a short course was done. The contact and the bonding with
00:53troops was less. Lot of exceptions were given. So when you have these kind of a situation,
01:00you may have some kind of surprises. But overall if you see, today we have approximately 115
01:07commanding officers who are commanding and 18 more are ready, who are already approved
01:12and they are ready. And maximum commanding officers of such you will always find in the
01:17Northern Command. So I have the first hand experience to say so that you will always
01:23find all kinds of officers. Wherever I have seen, the women officers have been very mature,
01:31very considerate, very kind and if I can say that, up and about. And here I would like
01:39to quote one woman officer whom probably this time we will be able to give some kind of
01:44award also. Colonel Poonung Doming. She is from East Siang from Pasighat and when I was
01:51in Northern Command along Demchowk, one of the most difficult road which is being made,
01:57she was always present there. I went to Umlingla, which is the highest motorable pass. She was
02:02always there. When I went to an underground cavern and she was also there. So what I am
02:08saying you will find all kinds of examples. So one particular example cannot be taken as a kind
02:15of a yardstick. Today I just wish to assure you that women officers are doing exceedingly well
02:22and if I have to give you some yardstick. Today there are approximately 16 officers
02:28who are doing staff college. The women officers who are pilots in the aviation branch also RT
02:35you are already aware, we have already started. In the TA battalion, AOC battalion I have first
02:42hand experience to say so, they are doing exceedingly well. Now what is important is,
02:47over a period of time we have to look into, as far as Indian Army is concerned, we want a strong
02:55women officer. So what it means? Kali Mata ka Roop? Maybe. But it means it has to be gender
03:05neutral approach in the conduct and even the infrastructure which is being provided in the
03:10field areas. Places like Sikkim and Mizoram are already looking into it. The physical test
03:17parameter should be nearly be the same. But keeping in view the physical conditions,
03:21there may be some kind of exceptions which will be made. Women officers also approximately 1700
03:29are presently training in the Sainik schools, military schools and RMCA. So it means that
03:35they will be coming to Indian Army and the tri-services. So therefore it is something
03:42which is to happen and it will happen in the most mature and welcoming way.
03:47That partially should answer your question, Rahul? Coming on to Agnipath, as far as Agnipath
03:54is concerned, as you are aware that this is not the subject due to Army Chiefs we will discuss.
03:58And it is a political decision and as far as India is concerned, India has already given
04:05its proposals to the Nepal side and as and when we hear from the Nepal side, we will be working
04:11towards that. Is it causing any deficiency in Indian Army? No, as of today wherever such
04:17deficiencies are there, it is being filled in by other recruitable military population.
04:24Coming on to Rajiv, you have asked why Vatan and Vetan? The biggest thing is that we should
04:32understand that which topics and principles the Indian Army is based on. Are those principles
04:39based on money or are they based on fame and glory? So what I want to say is that you should
04:46come for fame and glory, for your identity, for adventure activity. I always say that
04:53if a soldier in Kargil went ahead in a battle, why did he go? Did he go to fight for money?