BSF official warns junior for ‘ skipping’ ceremony

New Delhi, June 10: A BSF sub- officer has been warned and issued a showcause notice by his commanding officer ( CO) for failing to attend a ceremonial ‘ rope pulling’ farewell party of a senior at a force camp in West Bengal, leading to a “war of letters” between the two.

The officiating CO of the 155th battalion of the BSF, a second- in- command rank official, shot of another letter to the Inspector under him after the latter argued that such an event was “neither regimental or official” and is meant to be accorded only to the head of the unit or establishment, according to records accessed by PTI.

This is the second instance that has come to light in the country’s largest border guarding force in the recent past where a supervisory officer has reprimanded his junior for not following the age- old traditions and norms of the uniformed force.

In March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his displeasure and directed the BSF to withdraw a seven- day pay cut order against a jawan after his CO found him guilty of “disrespecting” the PM.

The current instance was triggered after inspector Damodara B. B. failed to attend a traditional event of pulling the vehicle by ropes to see off an assistant commandant rank officer from the unit mess at 9 am on June 6 at the BSF camp in Salugura in West Bengal.

The very same day, unit’s deputy Manish Negi, filing in for commanding officer on leave, shot of an explanationcum- warning letter to Damodara seeking reasons for his failure to attend the event.

The inspector replied stating he came to work on that day as “routine” as there was no written order communicated to him and that such an event was neither “regimental nor official”.