The family of the BSF jawan, who has claimed that poor quality food was being served to soldiers on the Line of Control (LoC) through social media posts, on Wednesday came out in his defence, saying he was just bringing out the truth by his act, even as the government said “some issues” were found after an interim report was received by the Home Ministry.
“What he did is not wrong... he showed the truth… he has just made a demand for good food and ‘roti.’ To say that he has a mental problem is wrong. If this was true, why was he sent to the border and was put on duty? “Why was he not sent for treatment?” wife of constable Tej Bahadur Yadav said.
His son added, “it was not wrong” to demand good food for himself and the troops posted on the border. “How would we otherwise know what is happening there [in the forward areas] and what is happening with them [troops]? We just want a fair probe and justice,” he said.
Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said his Ministry had received an “interim report” from the BSF on the issue and “there are some issues.”
“I don’t want to comment on that [report] as of now, but I want to make a personal appeal to the people of the country and the media that do not create an issue... a big issue until the probe in this case is done. All this will work to hit the morale of jawans,” Mr. Rijiju told reporters.
A full report is being prepared by a DIG-rank officer of the BSF based in Jammu and Kashmir after the Home Ministry ordered for the same and it is expected to be submitted on Wednesday.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh had taken note of the video and ordered an “appropriate action” into the incident.
“I have seen a video regarding a BSF jawan’s plight. I have asked the HS [Home Secretary] to immediately seek a report from the BSF & take appropriate action,” Mr. Singh had tweeted.
The BSF had said Mr. Yadav, who posted these videos, was court-martialled in 2010 for indiscipline and aiming a gun at a senior officer even as it assured of a thorough probe into his allegations.
In videos uploaded on social media platforms, the jawan, wearing a camouflage uniform and carrying a rifle, claimed that while the government procured essentials for them, the higher-ups and officers “sold it off” in an “illegal” manner in the market and they have to suffer.
He posted other videos saying the quality of food served was not of good quality.
The jawan, who hails from Mahendragarh district of Haryana, joined the force in 1996.
Yadav, who was deployed along the Line of Control in the Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, has now been shifted to a nearby battalion pending the Court of Inquiry.
