The avowed pro-women policy of the government was exposed before the Supreme Court when it argued that women could not be given certain jobs in the Indian Coast Guard. The authorities objected to a lady's request for a permanent commission in the organisation. The Bench, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, warned the government that the court would intervene if it vacillated on the matter. Naturally, the court found the argument that there were certain types of jobs in the Coast Guard that women could not do unacceptable. It's hard to believe that, as women increasingly break the glass ceiling in every walk of life, the government would raise such a silly argument. There is no job that a man can do but a woman cannot. The Coast Guard organisation should have remembered that the President, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed forces, is a lady.
A few years back, the case filed by some women, who were short service-commissioned officers in the Indian Navy, resulted in permanent commission for women. In due course, doors were opened for women in the Indian Military Academy. Now, theoretically at least, there is no bar on women reaching the top position in the Indian armed forces. Given this situation, it is ridiculous to argue that the Coast Guard is a different ball game for women. The writing on the wall is very clear: there is no place for gender-based discrimination in the functioning of the government organisations. Instead of waiting for the Supreme Court to intervene, the government should, on its own, extend its so-called Nari Shakti (women empowerment) policy to all aspects of its defence policy. One needs to remember that the judiciary intervenes only when the executive fails to discharge its onerous duty. The responsibility now lies with the executive.
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