Constable Tej Bahadur exposed poor quality food being served to lower-ranked soldiers in BSF.

CHANDIGARH: BSF constable Tej Bahadur Yadav, who had created a national uproar by exposing the poor quality of food served to the lower ranks of the force, could have provoked a mutiny. This assertion has been made by border force in a detailed reply to the Punjab and Haryana HC on Monday in response to Tej Bahadur's plea against his dismissal .

BSF has also explained how he resorted to a hunger strike in the forces and instigated other troops to follow him. Tej Bahadur shared a video on Facebook which showed insipid dal and badly made chapatti being served to the jawans.

"The issue was so sensitive that this could have led to mutiny among armed forces, had it not been controlled/defused by the Indian government and the BSF. Nevertheless, this issue immensely eroded the image of our country at international forum," the BSF has claimed.

The reply stated that on January 27, 2017, Tej Bahadur told the Subedar Major Alok Kumar of the unit that if he was not allowed to take voluntary retirement on January 31, he would go on hunger strike. It was also stated that on February 2, 2017, when all troops were assembled, he went in front of them and tried to instigate them by announcing that they should all go on hunger strike in protest against the food being served.

"The petitioner resorted to hunger strike to pressurise department to bow to his wrongdoings. He also instigated other troops to follow his footsteps to blame and defame BSF and the country. His act of instigation could have led to mutiny among the armed forces personnel. All offences committed by him were serious in nature and carry stringent punishment with a view to maintain discipline in the force," BSF assert ed .

In his plea, Tej Bahadur stated that although he was to retire voluntarily on January 31, 2017, the orders were cancelled after his Facebook post and was dismissed from service. Seeking directions to set aside his dismissal order, passed on April 19, 2017, he has submitted that his trial was conducted unfairly.

