BSF denies poor quality food served to troopers; Tej Bahadur Yadav was court-martialed, says ex-BSF DG

New Delhi: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday denied poor quality food served to the troopers. Here are important points:

•  There was no evidence to allege that poor quality food was being served to its troopers on the border: BSF
• Inspector General D.K. Upadhyaya said an enquiry by a DIG could not find anything to back the allegation made by a trooper on a video that has gone viral from the Jammu and Kashmir border.
• "The DIG-level officer went there and inquired about the food quality served to the BSF troops. Prime facie, there was no complaint by other soldiers," Upadhyaya said.
• Refuting the allegations as baseless, Upadhyaya said officers and soldiers of the BSF were served similar quality of food. He said others, including the cook, would be questioned.
• The officer said Yadav had in the past been accused of insubordination and faced court martial in 2010 on charges of pointing a gun to an officer.
• "Considering the situation of his family and children, the force took a lenient view in Yadav's case. Despite dismissing him, Yadav's service was continued only after giving him 89 days RI (rigorous imprisonment).
• "Since then he was kept in the headquarters so that he can work under supervision and could not repeat such an act again."As he submitted a letter for voluntary retirement from January 31 and it has been accepted, he was sent to the post on December 28. He was sent there 15 days ago as some soldiers were on leave."

The statement came a day after a video uploaded by BSF trooper Tej Bhahadur Yadav went viral, prompting the BSF to initiate an investigation. In the video, Yadav sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention, saying the plight of troopers posted along the cold, hilly border was pathetic. Speaking in Hindi, Yadav alleged that troopers were served bad quality food and at times were forced to go hungry. Claiming to be from the 29th battalion of BSF, he accused unnamed officers of illegally selling off the food supplies meant for the troopers. He also posted other videos showing a poorly baked 'chapati' and dal which he said had "nothing except salt and turmeric". Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday ordered the Home Secretary to seek a report from the BSF over the video.