BSF denies poor quality food served to troopers

Inspector General DK 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. 

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’. 

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. 

Reveal how many soldiers died post note ban: Sena 

The Shiv Sena has asked the Union government to reveal how many soldiers died at the borders post demonetisation, in an apparent bid to rubbish the Centre’s claim that terror funding has been checked with the note ban exercise. 

Also, taking exception to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s statements crediting the RSS teachings for surgical strike across the LoC last year, it said the Army should not be dragged into politics. 

The Sena said that the Monday’s terror attack on General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) camp in Akhnoor sector of Jammu in which three civilian workers were killed, proves that demonetisation has not deterred the terrorists as they continue with their activities without any hindrance.