A Modi fan, dismissed BSF jawan vows to fight for justice

Dismissed from service for posting a video, former Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav claims the video led to a 70% improvement in the food served at his station. “If a solitary video could bring about such dramatic improvement within days,” he declared, "there could surely be more improvement if the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister get to hear from me the real picture.”

Yadav was speaking to a journalist in Jammu, who posted the video on his Facebook wall.

While a defiant Yadav – who was dismissed after a court martial on charges of bringing a bad name to the BSF – hopes to get an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, no action has been taken yet against people responsible for serving poor quality of ration to the jawans. Yadav

Ironically it was the Prime Minister’s radical decision to demonetise high-value currency and his address to the nation that inspired him to blow the whistle, he claims. While he professes to be happy at the improvement, he believes it is going to be short-lived unless the colonial systems in the army and the para-military forces is changed.

Affirming his resolve to move the court against his dismissal, Yadav declared that he was denied a fair trial by the BSF. Saying that he was prepared for a long-drawn fight, Yadav wondered how his conduct could jeopardise national security as some political leaders had alleged.

His phone had been confiscated and he did not have any access to social media after January 9, 2017, when he uploaded the video, he said. But some mischievous elements posted on social media the rumour of his death, which led to his father falling ill. “While I was being dismissed, my father was being operated upon,” said Yadav, while being thankful for a successful surgery.

Meanwhile Facebook pages run by ex-servicemen have come out in solidarity of Yadav. And an open letter to him is being circulated widely on social media. The letter to Yadav is reproduced below :

Dear Tej Bahadur,

Welcome back home. I know it is not the welcome that you had in mind. I also know that it is not that the welcome that your wife had planned for you. Sarmila Yadav told us that she planned a small function to honour the completion of your service and to celebrate your return. She shared the invitation cards of the function.

Not in a million years would you have dreamt of returning from service in this manner. I was devastated to read about your dismissal from service. I must confess that I had higher expectations from those who were deciding your fate. I had hoped for leniency from the powers to be.

After dedicating 20 years of your life in service to the nation, on the morning of April 18, 2017 you were handed a letter of dismissal by an officer of the BSF. You were put through a Kangaroo summary court martial.

You had to plead with this officer to provide transport so you could make your way back home. And then just like that you were dropped off with bag and baggage, on the side of the road, abandoned like a stray animal... used, abused and kicked out.

All this for what? What was your crime? That you had raised your voice to complain about rotten food being served to jawans on the border. That you made a video that went viral on social media. That you complained about your officers. That you tarnished the name of BSF.

Tej Bahadur, the Kangaroo court of BSF gave you a verdict. I am here to write to you about the verdict from the court of public opinion. The people are on your side. Your brother jawans and their families are on your side.

You have made a supreme sacrifice for the cause of jawans. Before your videos, nobody knew about the conditions in which jawans serve. The country was under the impression that Jawans were well taken care off. Your video single-handedly kicked the hornet’s nest. Your officers stood exposed with no pants on. In my mind and I am sure in the mind of many many others you are a brave soul and an honourable man.

As part of the dismissal you lost your pension and benefits. Your life's earning have been taken away from you. You have been dumped and now the officers wish to see you run from pillar to post. They want to enjoy the fun at your cost. Please do not give them this pleasure. They want to make an example out of you so no one else will dare to raise his voice in the future.

Tej Bahadur, 97% of this country's population is caught in the clutches of corruption. This 97% does not find you guilty of any crime. This 97% gives you an honourable discharge. This 97% salutes you. This 97% welcomes you home as a Hero. This 97% says Tej Bahadur is a good man. This 97% stood by you during your incarceration and will stand by you in the days to come. You are not alone.

Tej Bahadur I will leave you with this one thought – yesterday is gone. Today is a new day. You must take this day to plan for your tomorrow – the days, weeks, months and years ahead. You have a long tough fight ahead. For this fight might you must prepare, for it will be long and tedious. Your family must join you in this preparation.

You have shown tremendous courage. Now is when you will need it every iota of energy to fight back.

Fight back you must.

Fight back you must.

Fight back you must.

Jai Jawan,

Jai Hind!!!