BSF Jawan’s 'Daal' Video Might Have Led To Mutiny, Hence Sacked: Govt

The Centre on August 20 justified to the Punjab and Haryana High Court that Constable Tej Bahadur Yadav’s dismissal from BSF last year for complaining on a viral video about the quality of food “could have led to a mutiny among the armed forces”.

According to The Indian Express, the government and BSF in a written reply to the Court refuted the claims in the viral video by terming it a “cooked up story” and said that the sole purpose of the video was to “malign the image” of the force.

BSF also told the High Court that using extra ‘tadka’ in ‘daal’ has been discouraged by the force due to rising cardiac problem among the troops. They further said that the “daal looked watery because it was made in a pressure cooker”.

No ‘tadka’ in daal as it causes heart issues

Last year, Tej Bahadur Yadav filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to officially get his termination cancelled.

In its reply, the government said the ‘daal’ in the video “looked watery because it was made in a cooker and without stirring it, daal gets settled at bottom.” In the video, Yadav also claimed that only paratha and tea were being served for breakfast.

“…In BSF mess, food is being prepared for number of persons and it is not practically possible to cook the food as per the choice and taste of each and everyone. Moreover, the health of troops is also paramount consideration in the force as cardiac arrest problem has risen in the troops in recent times,” the government affidavit stated.

The government also stated that administration base near the Line of Control in Poonch district switched over to advance winter stocking and the leftover condiments like haldi, salt was used for four days to cook food as there was no fresh stock arriving “due to snowfall”.

“…No sabji was prepared in breakfast as it was in short supply and the previous month’s fresh vegetables had exhausted,” the affidavit stated, adding that no one ever complained regarding the quantity or quality of food being served.

The also accused Yadav of having links with Pakistan claiming in the affidavit that “Petitioner (Yadav) provided this opportunity on a platter to Pakistan to use it as a tool of a propaganda machinery to further make adverse effects on the morale of the rank and file of Indian forces.” They said that NIA reported that on Yadav’s Facebook account, he has 18-20 friends from Pakistan.

Background

Bahadur was posted in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir where he shot a video in January last year and alleged that the quality of food that is served to the paramilitary is unfit to the extent that it cannot be eaten. The video spread on the internet like wildfire. People got furious. As a result, the army set up an inquiry committee against Tej Bahadur and alleged that he had connections with the foreign power. On this pretext, the BSF jawan was terminated.

Tej Bahadur was to get voluntary retirement from January 31, 2017, as a result of his voluntary request submitted by him in the month of November 2016. However, his resignation was cancelled, and he was outrightly terminated from his services by the security force court.

Also Read: BSF Jawan Who Posted Video Alleging Poor Quality Of Food Files Plea Against Termination