india

Updated: Feb 18, 2020 08:54 IST

Union minister Smriti Irani took on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who attacked the government for its reply in the Supreme Court in case on permanent commission for women. Irani said it was Narendra Modi government ensured gender justice when “your government twiddled its thumbs”.

“The Govt disrespected every Indian woman, by arguing in the SC that women Army officers didn’t deserve command posts or permanent service because they were inferior to men. I congratulate India’s women for standing up & proving the BJP Govt wrong,” Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter.

“Honourable Begani Shaadi me Abdullah Deewane, It was PM @narendramodi Ji who announced Permanent Commission for Women in Armed Forces, thereby ensuring gender justice & @BJPMahilaMorcha took up this issue when your Govt. twiddled its thumbs. Ask your team to check before tweeting,” replied Irani.

The expression Begani Shaadi me Abdullah Dewane loosely translates to someone who is getting excited over a thing not concerning him/her.

The Congress had targeted the central government after the verdict, with party leader Randeep Singh saying it’s a defeat of the Modi government. “This is a victory for every citizen of this country who believes in equality bereft of sexes. This is a defeat of the Modi government and its myopic thinking and thought process whereby it argued before the Supreme Court that men and women cannot be equal for combat roles, saying women are physically inferior,” said Surjewala.

In a landmark victory for gender equality, the Supreme Court on Monday allowed permanent commission to all women officers in the Army, paving the way for them to get command postings and parity with male counterparts in promotions, ranks, benefits and pensions.

Calling for a change of mindset on the part of the government to put an end to gender bias in the armed forces, the apex court directed that within three months, all serving Short Service Commission(SSC) women officers will have to be considered for Permanent Commission (PC) irrespective of their tenure in service.

Marking a milestone on the road to gender parity in the Army in the decade-long legal fight, the court said there will be no absolute bar on giving women command postings.

The verdict led to jubilation among women officers waiting outside the top court for the much awaited verdict.

Accompanied by her women colleagues, one officer said it will help uplift women across the country and not the armed forces. Whoever qualifies for the job should be given the opportunity to command, she said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh welcomed the verdict, noting that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has supported the idea of permanent commission for women and announced the change in policy in his Independence Day speech in 2018.