NEW DELHI: Admitting lapses in provisioning of food to the jawans posted in Jammu and Kashmir, the BSF on Wednesday said it is auditing the prevalent system of diets and ration purchase procedures for improving the system.
“Issues related to diet of jawans, issue of ration purchase procedures and pilferages thereof are the issues of prime concern for any organisation. BSF has taken a holistic view of the situation and follow up process has been swung into action,” the BSF said in a tweet late in the evening on Wednesday.
The BSF further said, “the audit of prevalent system by a team of senior commanding officers, chalking out shortcomings of the process, suggesting procedural and systematic improvements, vigilance set up reenthused for double checks (are underway).”
It further tweeted, “Enhancing formal and informal levels (of communication) with jawans. Introduction of systematic innovations to ensure cashless transactions in all messes (is underway). The organisation welcomes all inputs for improvement.”
The BSF admission comes after the paramilitary denied the allegations levelled by its Constable Tej Bahadur Yadav that poor quality food is being served to the jawans posted in Jammu and Kashmir along the border and Line of Control with Pakistan. Instead, the BSF continued to malign the Yadav who had highlighted alleged corruption in supply of food to the jawans.
Meanwhile, the BSF retweeted a post from Yoga guru Baba Ramdev who said, “I have a long association with BSF javans and officers. Javans are taken care of well. Please dnt hype unsubstantiated testimonies.”
The BSF move comes after the Union Home Ministry was not satisfied with a preliminary report submitted by Director General KK Sharma earlier during the day in connection with corruption and poor quality food being served to the jawans.
The Home Ministry is also learnt to be unhappy over the Media briefings by the BSF in Jammu highlighting past misconduct by paramilitary Constable Tej Bahadur Yadav who had alleged poor quality food being served to the jawans even as the Court of Inquiry was underway. Yadav had in a video uploaded over social networking platforms alleged that the jawans often go to sleep empty stomach and the food served to them was of a very bad quality.
Earlier, neither the Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi nor BSF Chief KK Sharma talked to the reporters waiting at the North Block till late in the evening. While Mehrishi kept the journalists waiting till late in the evening before finally conveying that he would not be meeting. Sharma along with chiefs of other paramilitary forces who had a meeting with Mehrishi for finalisation of the gallantry awards did not talk to the reporters.
However, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju tweeted, “I would like to appeal that on the basis of the video a conclusion should not be drawn till an independent and final report is complete.”
Earlier during the day, Rijiju confirmed having received the preliminary report from the BSF. Rijiju said refused to comment on the report but said “there are some issues.”
The BSF has detailed a DIG rank officer to conduct the enquiry and submit the report to the force’s headquarters.
The Prime Minister’s Office has taken a serious note of the lapses alleged by Yadav and asked the Home Ministry to expeditiously unravel the truth and take corrective actions if the allegations are substantiated.
In the videos posted online, Yadav had alleged that while the Government procures essential items for them, the senior officers sell off the ration illegally to the market.
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