Uniform ‘bias’: Army nurses launch protest

The commissioning ceremony for probationary military nurses in Delhi, Chandigarh and Lucknow was postponed by Army Headquarters today when the candidates refused to don the new uniform prescribed by the Adjutant General in February this year.

In Delhi, a batch of 11 women officer-candidates refused to wear the new beige uniform, claiming that there was stay order from the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court and were allegedly confined to a room at the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital. An Army spokesman confirmed that the commissioning ceremony had been postponed in Delhi, Chandigarh and Lucknow. The spokesman denied that the nursing officer-candidates in Delhi had been confined adding that they ‘‘had been ordered to wear the prescribed uniform but they reported to duty in the olive green uniform’’. Stating that this was ‘‘insubordination and breach of discipline’’, the spokesman said the Army would investigate and carry out disciplinary action.

According to a letter issued by Adjutant General Lt Gen Mohinder Singh on February 9, 2004, the new uniform would be ‘‘dark beige safari suit with full sleeves’’ instead of the olive green. However, the candidates claimed the Army had discriminated against them. ‘‘While the rest of the Army is entitled to a uniform allowance of Rs 6,000, we are entitled to only Rs 2,000 and this discrimination has to end,’’ said one candidate.