India's 'Operation Sindoor' Sparks Women's Rights Concerns
India has launched a military operation against Pakistan, sparking controversy and concern for women's rights. The operation, named 'Operation Sindoor', has been criticised for reinforcing patriarchal norms and targeting women commentators.
The offensive, launched on 7 May 2025, was in response to the killing of 26 Hindu men by The Resistance Front in Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that nine major terror hideouts were wiped out in just 22 minutes. However, the operation's name has drawn criticism. 'Sindoor' is a traditional symbol of married Hindu women's marital status, and its use has been seen as a reinforcement of patriarchal norms by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The operation has also led to the investigation and arrest of two women commentators and satirists who questioned the military offensive. They were labelled 'terrorist sympathisers', adding to the concerns of women's rights activists. Women from minority communities, especially Muslims, and Dalit women have reported increased crimes under the BJP government due to rising communal tensions and inadequate protection from law enforcement. Despite claiming to be pro-women, India remains the sixth most dangerous country in the world to be female, with crimes against women increasing from 56.3 to 66.4 per 100,000 of the population between 2014 and 2022.
The BJP has also been accused of politicising the military offensive. Opposition parties allege that the BJP has not arrested the six terrorists involved in the Kashmir attack, despite claiming to have wiped out nine major terror hideouts. Vinay Narwal's wife, Himanshi, was accused of being a 'terrorist sympathiser' after appealing to Indians not to react with anti-Muslim sentiment post the attack. BJP workers distributing sindoor door-to-door to invoke nationalistic sentiments has also outraged many women, as Hinduism decrees women should receive sindoor only from their husbands.
The 'Operation Sindoor' has raised serious concerns about women's rights and the politicisation of the military offensive. Despite claims of wiping out major terror hideouts, the BJP faces criticism for not arresting the actual perpetrators of the Kashmir attack. The targeting of women commentators and the reinforcement of patriarchal norms through the operation's name have further fuelled concerns about the government's stance on women's rights.
