In the wake of sexual harassment charges levelled by Indian Air Force officer Anjali Gupta against her superior officers, the National Commission for Women has written to Union Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee urging for a separate cell in the armed forces to deal with such complaints.
"Inducting women in the armed forces will also require that safeguards are built in for these women," NCW chairperson
Girija Vyas said in her letter to the Defence Minister.
Wishing to know from the minister what safeguards have been provided to women in the armed forces, she also urged
that a separate cell be formed to address the grievances of women officers.
Meanwhile, underlining the need for the inquiry into the sexual harassment charges levelled by Gupta to be carried out as per the Visakha guidelines, Vyas welcomed the inclusion of two women in the Court of Inquiry probing the charges.
"We had been demanding that women be included in the Court of Inquiry, and today the Air Force informed us that two
women have been included in the four-member committee," Vyas told PTI.
"We are happy that at long last women have been included in the Court of Inquiry, but they should now set up a
permanent cell to take care of such grievances," she said.
The Court of Inquiry formed to probe sexual harassment charges levelled by Gupta against her three superior officers set the process of inquiry in motion in Bangalore on Monday.
The court headed by Air Vice Marshal V M Iyer has four officers, including two women.