Man Aman Singh Channa.
The lady, whose husband is posted in an Artillery regiment stationed in Faridkot in Punjab, has complained against the Commander of the local Artillery Brigade and alleged that he threatened her and harassed her in her husband's presence for objecting to the fashion show rehearsals.
The lady has alleged that the rehearsals were being carried out under the aegis of Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) and that she had objected to the same saying that this was not a family welfare oriented programme.
In her complaint to Lt Gen AK Sahni, GOC-in-C South Western Command, a copy of which is available with Headlines Today, the Major's wife has said that she had been taking part in the rehearsals for the fashion show and she had stopped participating in the same because she had to leave her children alone at home for 2-3 hours everyday.
The lady further stated that as per the wife of the Commanding Officer of her husband and the Brigade Commander's wife, the rehearsal for the fashion show was being held in anticipation of the visit of wives of senior officers to the military station and that there should be a programme "ready in hand" to cater for that.
The complainant states that the Brigade Commander summoned her and her husband in the presence of the CO and his wife and the Brigadier's wife and then proceeded to use language which she found offensive.
The complaint mentions that the Brigade Commander said "Institutions are never questioned and it should be understood by both of you. And I will make sure that it is understood well, got the issue, both of you?".
As per the complaint, the Brigadier is further alleged to have said," Anybody who is under my command, he questions the organization, the very foundation of the organization, it is not acceptable. You must understand what your Commander's thinking. That's it, I leave it to both of you. Conduct yourself".
The complaint further quotes the Brigadier as saying that he had to step in to nip the problem in the bud as otherwise "the malaise will continue and he will not let this malaise continue".
The lady has stated that she was not against any AWWA activity and that she had only objected to the fashion show. Threatening to take legal action against her husband's brigade commander she has questioned the capacity in which the Brigadier called her for an interaction and that he had not right to threaten her given that AWWA was an NGO and that she was not covered under the Army Act.
In its response, the Army states that there is no AWWA at Brigade or unit level and that it is restricted to Army HQ and Command level. While this is true that AWWA been replaced by Family Welfare Organisation at Brigade and Unit level after an RTI query forced Army to turn it into an NGO, It is still referred to as AWWA in verbal terms of reference at unit level.
The Army's response
In response to a query sent by Headlines Today, the Public Relation Officer of South Western Command gave the following reply:
"It may please be noted that AWWA is a NGO whose activities in the Army are restricted only at the level of Army HQ and Command HQ. There is, therefore, no AWWA at Brigade/ Unit level.
A letter written by Mrs (Name withheld), wife of Major (Name withheld) of (Name of regiment withheld) has been received by HQ South Western Command today and concerned formation has been tasked to enquire into the issues raised and make a report.
Should anyone be found guilty of any misdemeanor, immediate action will be taken in keeping with the ethos of the Army.
via India Today
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