BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav's food video row: PMO seeks report, family alleges harassment

New Delhi: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has now sought a report from the Home Ministry after a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan, Tej Bahadur Yadav, posted a video complaining about the bad quality of food being served to the soldiers, reports said on Thursday.

Following the PMO's intervention, the Home Ministry will soon submit a detailed factual report on the incident and the action taken on it, news agency PTI reported.

"We have to give reports to all concerned," a senior Home Ministry official said when asked about the PMO's request.

India Today also quoted Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju confirming that the PMO has indeed asked for a report following a massive row over Yadav's video  alleging that troops were served bad quality food.

"This is our responsibility to think about the welfare of our jawans. But we have to check anything carefully. We take this issue very seriously. Everything would have to be updated," Rijiju was quoted as saying.

Rijiju had on Wednesday said that the government had sent teams of dieticians to all the posts along the country's borders manned by security forces to ascertain the quality of food served to the troops.

"The government had already deputed a Brigadier-level officer of the Border Security Force (BSF) and an Inspector General-level officer to probe the matter," he said.

"The video in social networking sites is yet to be verified. We have already instituted a probe to verify the video and ascertain its authenticity," Rijiju said.

Meanwhile, the BSF jawan's wife today alleged that her husband was being pressurised to take his complaint back.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Sharmila alleged that higher authorities are pressurising Yadav to withdraw his complaint and apologise.

The BSF jawan's video alleging that sub-standard food was served to jawans on the frontlines went viral and sparked a nationwide outrage.

Yadav also posted other videos showing a poorly baked 'chapati' and dal which he said had "nothing except salt and turmeric".

Tej Bahadur Yadav, a BSF jawan of 29th battalion, who is these days posted in Jammu and Kashmir, in a series of Facebook posts, has said that the government has been doing enough to provide the security forces with essential items, but it is the BSF officials who are indulged in wrong doings.

In the videos, Yadav is seen accusing the high-ranking officers of selling the items being provided by the government to fill their pockets.

The BSF jawan, in an appeal to the nation, says, "How can a person like him stand in duty for 10-11 hours in harsh conditions after having a pathetic meal"

The video posted by him show that for breakfast, "only 'paranthas' and a cup of tea is provided, with not a single piece of pickle or butter."

"Dal, which is given during lunch, has only salt and turmeric (in the name of spices), with no jeera, onion, garlic or tomatoes."

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on Monday ordered the Home Secretary to seek a report from the BSF over the video.