Constable who shot video about 'bad food' shifted: BSF

Srinagar: Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, who uploaded three videos on Facebook allegedly showing the pathetic condition of food served to the paramilitary troops, has been shifted from the Line of Control (LoC) to the headquarters of his 29 battalion in Jammu and Kashmir’s frontier town of Poonch.

BSF’s Inspector General DK Upadhyay said earlier at a press conference in Jammu that he will be shifted to different headquarters “so that there can be no pressure on him and a fair inquiry can be held.”

The constable’s act had stirred up a hornet’s nest as the videos shot by him went viral on social media, and there was outcry across the country against the alleged ill-treatment meted out to the troops defending the bitterly cold frontiers.  

Home Minister Rajnath Singh ordered an inquiry into the jawan’s allegation that not only were the troops being served poor food but also they even had to starve on some days.

Upadhyay, responding to the constable’s allegations said that the issue was ‘sensitive’ and an inquiry has been ordered into the matter. “I can't comment on the allegations yet. An inquiry has been ordered. If any lapses are found, strict action will be taken,” he said.

He however, also said, “The food may not taste great, but we have never received any complaint from jawans regarding the same. In winters tinned and dehydrated food is available. The DIG had visited the camp before, and had asked everyone including Yadav about the quality of the food served, but no complaints were received. Yadav's intentions are probably different”. 

He said that in the past too DIG-level officers have visited the camps but never received any complaints such as those levelled by Yadav.

The BSF IG said that Yadav was to be court-martialled in 2010 for indiscipline (he had reportedly assaulted a superior) but was not dismissed from service on compassionate grounds. “He was not dismissed for the sake of his family. He will be shifted to different headquarters so that there can be no pressure on him and a fair inquiry can be held,” he said. He added that there will also be an inquiry as to how he was carrying a mobile phone while on duty, which is against the disciplinary guidelines.

In one of the videos shot on his mobile phone and then uploaded on Facebook, the 40-year-old BSF jawan in his fatigues and carrying a rifle says, “This is breakfast - one burnt parantha and a glass of tea...no butter, no jam, no pickle...” He then asks, “Can a jawan do his duty with this kind of food? Share this video as much as possible and take our message to the government. Jai Hind!”

In another video, he shows dinner being cooked in semi-darkness. "Dal with only haldi (turmeric) and salt. No onion, no garlic, no seasoning...not even cumin,” he complains and berates his colleagues for cooking without any light. In the third video, he says, “This is the quality of the food we get... we are on duty for 11 hours in the snow and at times we have to stand throughout... how can a jawan do his duty?”  He further complains that the government's store is full but everything is sold. “I appeal to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to order an investigation”.

Yadav had said in his Facebook post, “Anything can happen to me after I put out this video.”  

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has said that both the BSF and the Home Ministry have ordered inquiries and that “any anomaly will be dealt with firmly”.

On Tuesday, Yadav told a news channel in an interview that after being transferred to the headquarters of his 29 Battalion he has been assigned a plumber's duty and that the commandant had asked him to take down the video. He however said that he was not scared of losing his job yet, as he did not think action would be taken against him because his videos had gone viral. “I'm not afraid of losing my job...I have shown what the reality is at the post”. “If soldiers [are] benefited because of me, then I'm ready to fight,” he said.