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Not just BSF jawan, now CRPF man also alleges lack of amenities for India's forces

Catch Team | Updated on: 11 January 2017, 21:49 IST

Two days after a selfie video of a BSF constable - Tej Bahadur Yadav - created a political storm, the video of another paramilitary constable has started to do rounds. In the unverified video, CRPF constable Jeet Singh is heard talking about the lack of amenities provided to paramilitary forces when compared to Army soldiers.

The constable, while enumerating the harsh conditions under which CRPF officers serve the country, talks about how constables in the force work in the absence of medical facilities or pensions.

"What welfare do we get...we don't get any pensions, no ex-servicemen quota, no medical benefits...don't we deserve this...Please spread the message and share this video as much as possible," the constable says in the video.

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Since Tej Bahadur Yadav released his video 48 hours ago, he has faced constant attacks from seniors in the force. He's been called chronic alcoholic, habitual absentee, who's been regular insubordinate to his seniors. Some have also culled up previous anti-Muslim posts by him, but haven't commented on the nature of his video complaint.

Starving constabulary

Meanwhile, Yadav was forced to come to his base in Jammu and asked to work as a plumber for another unit.

Yadav had alleged in his videos that while the government provides enough food stock for its soldiers, it is because of some higher-ups, who sell the rations illegally to make money, that the constabulary down below is left starving.

His family had to come out to support Yadav and his complaints against status quo. "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?" wife of constable Tej Bahadur Yadav was reported saying to news organisations.

'Serious issues'

A day after Yadav's video, news organisations reported stories about people living close to CRPF bases, claiming that they buy their rations for half the price from the paramilitary. This proves Yadav's claims.

This forced the Ministry of Home Affairs, and even Home Minister Rajnath Singh himself, to take 'serious notice' and order a probe. A day later the minister of state, MHA, Kiren Rijiju admitted that based on the interim probe report he'd gone through, "there are some serious issues".

Kiren Rijiju admitted that based on the interim probe report, "there are some serious issues"

It now remains to be seen if Rijiju will make sweeping changes in the way paramilitary soldiers are treated or just treat it like a local issue.

We'll also have to wait and see whether the CRPF soldier, if the video is authentic, also goes through the same campaign of vilification by his seniors or whether his complaint his hear first and an independent probe is ordered.

Edited by Aleesha Matharu

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First published: 11 January 2017, 21:49 IST