Shobhaa’s Take

It needed one Border Security Force jawan’s video to jolt us out of deep slumber. I don’t know about the official response to the man’s anguished plea, but as an Indian, I felt deeply saddened. Is this any way to treat our soldiers? Hell, no! It’s entirely possible the poor guy was drunk out of his skull when he posted it. Maybe he is mentally unstable too. That’s not the point! Was he or was he not telling the truth about the poor quality of food served to men whose job it is to serve the country to the best of their ability? That’s it. Instead of addressing this issue, the shortsighted authorities went on the offensive and tried to make a villain out of him. Charges and counter-charges flew around the very next day, as red-faced seniors attempted to cover their butts by insisting the man was a nut job with a history of insubordination. If that is correct, why the hell was he entrusted with a weapon in the first place? Why was he posted on the border? Why wasn’t he suspended? Now that he has opened his gab, and everybody knows the awful fact, what are we going to do about the situation?

That is the main problem. The Army bosses are investing far more time trying to save face, rather than ensuring the diet requirements of our soldiers are reassessed and corrective measures taken. Armies do not march on empty stomachs! What our men get to eat directly affects their performance as soldiers. Watery daal and uncooked chapatis cannot possibly contribute to any soldier’s health and well-being. A hungry soldier is a frustrated soldier. A frustrated soldier is dangerous. This raises serious questions about misappropriation of funds earmarked for