BSF jawan's family backs him; Rijiju says some issues reported

New Delhi, Jan 11: The family of the BSF jawan, who claimed poor quality food was being served to soldiers on the LoC through social media posts, today came out in his defence saying he was just bringing out the truth by his act even as the government said "some issues" have been found after an interim report was received by the Union 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?," the 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 borders.

"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," Yadav's son said.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said his Ministry has 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 the jawans," Rijiju told reporters.

A full report is being prepared by a DIG-rank officer of the BSF based in Jammu and Kashmir after the Union Home Ministry ordered for the same and it is expected to be submitted today.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had taken note of the video and had 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," Singh had tweeted.

BSF had said Yadav, who posted these videos, was court-martialed 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 camouflage uniform and carrying a rifle, claimed that while government procures essentials for them, the higher-ups and officers "sell 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 hails from Mahendragarh district of Haryana and had joined the force in 1996.

Yadav who was deployed along the Line of Control in the Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir and has now been shifted to a nearby battalion pending the Court of Inquiry (CoI).