BSF jawan who raised food alarm to fight PM Modi in Varanasi

LUCKNOW: Sacked

Border Security Force jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav

, who kicked up a row after he uploaded videos on social media alleging substandard food served to soldiers, has announced his decision to contest Lok Sabha elections as an Independent candidate from Varanasi.


Yadav said his decision followed his “pending fight against lies”. “Now, I am only concerned about telling the world through this election about the condition of troopers. I may not win, but I only want to send out a message to the nation,” said Yadav, who belongs to Mahendargarh in Haryana, on Saturday.

He said he could have contested from Haryana, but chose Uttar Pradesh as he had received overwhelming support from several sections of society and from people ready to back his candidature from Varanasi. “It is not about the Yadav community’s presence in UP. It’s only about the high-profile constituency that Varanasi is. I can use it as a platform to highlight concerns. I have neither been approached by any party nor I have done so,” he said.

He also said he was disappointed that despite several RTI petitions, he had not received a report from the parliamentary committee headed by former BJP MP Murli Manohar Joshi on the quality of food served to personnel of paramilitary forces.

“The report by Joshiji criticised the home ministry and raised an alarm on food served to jawans. It wasn’t shared with anyone,” claimed Yadav.

His videos triggered outrage across the nation, but BSF rubbished his allegations, saying he was not in sound mental health. He was sacked after court martial on charges of making false allegations.