Pranab to direct Army to provide female gynaecologists

The Tribune, 24 sep, 2004
New Delhi, September 23

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said today he would direct the Army to make available female gynaecologists for medical examination of women candidates in the wake of an aspirant’s complaint that she was rejected because she refused to undergo tests by a male gynaecologist.

“We will tell them to make female gynaecologists available,” he told reporters here when asked about the claims made by the complainant Surya Moudgil that she could not clear the medical tests as she refused to be examined by a gynaecologist and a surgical specialist, both men.

Meanwhile, the CPI (M)-affiliated All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) today said it would slap a suit on the Army against its “insensitivity” to women recruits, who are put through intimate medical tests by male doctors.

The AIDWA, which will move the Supreme Court, said it had documentary evidence to back its claim that women candidates for army recruitment were medically examined by male doctors.

“Since the Army has not recognised the legitimacy and validity of the complaint and continues to be gender-insensitive, we have no alternative but to go to court. We will be moving the Supreme Court,” AIDWA general secretary Brinda Karat said.

The AIDWA was incensed that the Army did not make arrangements for women surgeons and gynaecologists when it called women candidates for the medical tests.

According to the AIDWA, which presented Ms Surya Moudgil, one of the women candidates for the Short Service Commission, at a news conference here, no female surgeon or gynaecologist was present when she was put to medical tests.

Ms Moudgil refused to be examined by the male surgeon and gynaecologist at the Delhi Base Hospital, said Ms Karat, a CPI (M) central committee member.

“It’s a question of a woman’s physical integrity. And for the Army to do it sends a very bad message to the rest of the society showing insensitivity to the working women,” she said.

In its clarification, the Army said a female gynaecologist was present along with a male surgeon during the tests for women candidates.

Three women, including Ms Moudgil, were taken to Delhi from Allahabad after they wanted to be examined by female doctors, an Army spokesman said.

Two of the women candidates “understood the arrangements” in Delhi where a female gynaecologist and a male surgeon were present, he said.

Ms Moudgul, however, wanted a female surgeon and refused to be examined, he added.

Ms Karat dismissed the Army clarification as “a lie”. “The Army is spreading misinformation. There was no female gynaecologist.

“When you have women candidates, why didn’t it make arrangements for the presence of female doctors?” she asked.

The Army has 12 women gynaecologists in Delhi, but it does not have any female surgeon. The medical tests took place on August 27 and again on September 2 in Delhi.

A female attendant was present for tests with male doctors at Allahabad, but the women candidates had reservation, the spokesman said. — PTI, UNI

(Source: The Tribune)