[Reader-list] 'Men in uniform are Kashmir's problem, not solution'

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Kshamendra

The first lesson our Indian army needs to be taught is to respect women, not
rape them. It's not just Kashmir where this is happening. Even the sensitive
North-East shows that the army doesn't respect women, and infact misuses
AFSPA to do what it wishes. And now, through the Salwa Judum, we have come
to the point where the militia colludes with the paramilitary forces and
other divisions to torture women through rapes and killings.

This is not what the army is meant for. While politicians have misunderstood
the problem and have sent the armed forces in certain areas, the army does
not have the right to misuse the power they have been granted in their
hands. With power comes responsibility, and it's a massive one, to ensure
that people are not targetted and in particular women are not targetted.

Whoever is a rapist or committing crime against women, whoever he is,
whichever party and ideology he belongs to, deserves punishment and the army
men are not exceptions to this rule I believe in. It's high time such army
men are brought behind bars, and our army must be warned about this. The
army is not sent to enjoy women at places they are stationed for their
sexual needs; it's sent to protect the nation (or the borders in this case
or ensure law and order) and they should do that. Otherwise they should stop
being in the army and become gigolos or male prostitutes.

Regards

Rakesh