Our Food is Terrible, Says BSF Jawan; BSF Says Soldier is Alcoholic

New Delhi: An immediate result of constable Tej Bahadur Yadav’s viral video has been an unofficial clampdown on the use of cellular phones at some of the battalion kitchens and common areas. Company commanders are keeping a close eye. Perhaps other paramilitary forces are keeping a watch on their men and their phones.

Why is a “habitual offender" serving at a sensitive place?

Instead of addressing the red flags the constable raised in the videos, the BSF has chosen a well-rehearsed response — launching an enquiry and sending a senior officer to the location. A BSF statement gives details about Yadav’s difficult past. “A habitual offender of absenteeism without permission, chronic alcoholism, misbehaving and using force with superior officers, besides other acts against good order and discipline. For such reasons, individual has served mostly in headquarters under supervision of some dedicated superior officer. In spite of him being a bad hat, proper time has been devoted for individual's improvement as welfare to the individual," the statement said.

Just why a man with such a troubled past was posted to what seems like a sensitive location is anyone’s guess.Justice unlikely

Security forces, including paramilitary forces, have strict rules and guidelines about talking to the media and information sharing. In all likelihood, Yadav will face disciplinary action, once media attention slips from the poor quality of ration that is being supplied to jawans at the border. Perhaps, preempting this Yadav has already sought voluntary retirement from the BSF, effective January 31.

The last time a serving paramilitary jawan became a whistleblower, to complain about poor treatment, he was suspended. In 2014, News18.com carried the revelations of Sujoy Mondal, a CRPF jawan who came on camera and spoke about how Standard Operating Procedures were flouted during a Naxal operation. He spoke about terrible serving conditions and lack of help from his superiors. Investigation and an enquiry later, Sujoy Mondal was removed from the force.

In another report, that appeared in The Hindu in 2014, a commando at a camp of the CRPF’s elite anti-Naxal CoBRA force in Darbha, told the newspaper: “I am so sick of eating potatoes, soybean nuggets and one type of dal. How am I supposed to fight for a state that cannot even ensure a supply of vegetables for me?"

While Yadav’s allegations are not comparable to that of Sujoy Mondal’s, they point to a systemic rot in the system. Yadav in the video accuses officers of “illegally selling off" supplies meant for troops and added soldiers have to go to bed hungry at times. The BSF has dismissed these allegations further adding that Yadav had been posted at the location just 10 days ago.What should a jawan get?

Deficiencies in ration supply chain practices and procurements have been brought to light in the past. The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament has pointed in the past as to how troops consume dry rations even 6-28 months after the expiry. In the case of fresh vegetables and fruits, 74% of the items issued to units by supply depots were not in accordance with the prescribed norms.