Welfare of security forces is Govt's absolute priority: Rijiju on BSF jawan video

Day after a Border Security Force (BSF) soldier shared a heart wrenching video detailing his ordeal while carrying out his duties at the border, Minister of State (MoS) for Home Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday took a serious note of the issue, saying that welfare of the security forces guarding the borders is absolute priority of the government.

Taking to Twitter Rijiju said, "welfare of our security forces guarding the borders and other difficult areas are absolute priority. Any anomaly will be dealt with firmly."

Rijiju, however, said that he found high level of satisfactions amongst the jawans during his regular visit to border posts.

Commenting on the same video, defence expert P.K. Sehgal called for appropriate budgetary allocation for the jawans, while asserting that his focus would be to look at the issue and immediately alleviate the difficulties that jawans are facing.

"There are lot of weaknesses in our defence system. The living conditions are not appropriate; the bunkers are not strong enough. The man is not appropriately equipped to survive and deliver. In the forthcoming Budget Session, appropriate budgetary allocation must be made to plug all the weakness the soonest," Sehgal told ANI.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday sought a report from the Home Secretary and directed to take appropriate action on the same.

In a video gone viral, BSF soldier Tej Bahadur Yadav of the 29 battalion Seema Suraksha Bal is seen exposing the rot in the system by revealing the deeply ingrained corruption in the higher order, saying that the troops are not even getting basic three square meals.

Speaking from an undisclosed location, Yadav can be seen saying that the soldiers stand for 11 straight hours every day regardless the weather or temperature, but they are treated in the worst possible way.

The BSF was quick to respond with a statement saying that a senior officer has already reached the location from where Yadav send the video.

The BSF, however, rejected claims made by a soldier, clarifying that even though conditions for soldiers were tough they were provided with regular rations while asserting that the jawans in particular had a troubled past.