Now jawans say inquiries into their complaints are a farce

Despite gag orders and abuses being issued via TV channels and social media for their alleged ‘indiscipline’ and even ‘mutiny’, more jawans particularly in para-military forces are coming forward to question the treatment meted out to them and the inquiries and ‘fair trials’ promised by the top brass.

In one of the videos, an army jawan criticised retired General Gagandeep Bakshi for describing on a TV channel voices of disenchantment as ‘mutiny’. Wife of another army jawan, Richa Singh, approached the Allahabad High Court complaining that after voicing complaints over the treatment of batmen by officers, her husband was forcibly shifted to an army hospital for ‘aggressive behaviour’.

A BSF jawan, Navratan Choudhary posted somewhere in Gujarat—who had earlier accused BSF officers of selling liquor meant for jawans to civilians—has again shared videos alleging he was under severe mental pressure after he complained against alleged corruption by some officers. But the seemingly calm jawan declares that he is made of sterner stuff and would not commit suicide under any provocation but would fight for his cause.

He indicated that by way of punishment he was granted only 13 days leave last year ‘though a jawan is entitled to 60 days’ leave annually. The jawan can be heard saying, “While I am providing video evidence of ill-treatment and yet no senior officer has come to support me.”

“In this country, everyone complains about corruption—but when someone stands up to fight against it, no one comes forward to support him...But I’ll fight—with or without the support of others.”

“When a jawan gets martyred, the entire country grieves for him. But in BSF, senior officers compel a soldier to commit suicide and celebrate. I don’t claim that all senior BSF officers are corrupt or despotic—but their number is certainly high,” he alleges, in the video posted on his Facebook page, accusing three officers of 150th battalion including its Commandant.

“Today, I’ll tell you what kind of inquiries BSF conducts,” he declares and goes on to name his senior officer, alleging: “my officers insulted me a number of times, mouthing profanities. When I filed a written complaint, the one-sided probe began with me as the accused. I was not given the opportunity to put up any defence. Leave aside Indian judicial system and the constitution; they didn’t even follow BSF Act and rules. And as expected they concluded that what I had alleged in writing had never taken place and held me guilty of fabricating charges.”

“They speak of independent and unbiased probes; But my inquiry was handed over to the same officers against whom I’d filed my complaint. Without any fault, I was placed under arrest for 15 days, without any written order. During those 15 days, I didn’t get my meals. I survived on tea and samosas.”

Yet another unidentified soldier posted a series of videos on his Facebook page. In one of his videos, he lamented the apathetic and lackadaisical attitude of senior officers. “Whenever a soldier complains about bad quality food, he gets a reply in question from his senior officers; What’s bad about the food?”

National Herald was not able to independently verify the authenticity of the claims in the video.