Suspend army vice-chief: BJP

KOLKATA/BHUBANESHWAR: Army Vice-Chief Lt Gen S Pattabhiraman’s remark that the force could do without women has touched off a controversy. While the BJP demanded his immediate suspension on Sunday, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee repudiated his stand, saying more women should join the army and that they are doing a “very good job”.

In the wake of the suicide by a woman army officer, Lt Sushmita Chakrabarty, on Thursday, Gen Pattabhiraman was quoted as saying that “ideally we would like to have gentlemen and not lady officers at the unit level” and that “we can do without (lady officers)”.

Pouncing on the remarks, BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said in Bhubaneswar that the general should be suspended immediately.

Meanwhile, Mukherjee told reporters in Kolkata: “We want more women to join. They are doing a very good job. There are problems, but those will be taken care of.”

National Commission for Women head Girija Vyas also criticised the general. “He should take his words back,” she said.