Lady officer accuses Gen of sexual harassment

A LADY OR AN OFFICER? The forces are reeling under a spate of incidents involving its women cadre.

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Chandigarh/New Delhi: It’s a first for the Indian Army and not a proud one at that. The General Officer Commanding the crucial 3 Infantry Division in Leh, Maj Gen A K Lal, has been accused by a fellow woman officer Capt Neha Rawat of sexual harassment.

In a swift move the Army instituted a Court of Enquiry and has moved the General out from 14 Corp to the headquarters of 15 Corp to ensure the process is fair and objective.

Embarrassed, the Army is not talking officially but promised if the Court of Enquiry does find him guilty the General will face strict action. But what makes it worse is that this time the allegations are against a very senior officer misbehaving with a lady officer, allegedly at a yoga class and on several other occasions.

Sources told CNN-IBN that the letter of complaint was written by Rawat's parents, when she came home to Ambala on leave, and then they sent it to the Army Commander.

However, Maj General Lal's family in Chandigarh have dismissed the allegations and instead lay the blame on Rawat saying her personal conduct had all along been unworthy of an officer.

“This particular lady officer has been reprimanded in the past for personal misconduct and alcoholism. She was even caught by the military police when she was found being with multiple partners (sic) late in the night,” daughter of Maj Gen AK Lal, Shilpi Lal said.

It’s a familiar story, one that has repeated every time a woman officer has alleged misbehaviour against a male officer.

The tragic suicide of Sushmita Chakravarty, Flying Officer Anjali Gupta levelling similar charges and the Army Vice-Chief in 2006 kicking up a controversy by saying the Army could do without women are examples of the low comfort level the force has with the women officers.

The forces are already reeling under a spate of incidents involving its women cadre and this latest one concerning Capt Rawat is screaming for introspection.

(With inputs from Jyoti Kamal)