The video posted by a Border Security Force jawan depicting
the poor quality food provided to them has gone viral.
The menu for breakfast is a half-burnt paratha and
a glass of tea. The dal in a pressure cooker is made edible
with saffron powder and salt. The remaining ingredients are
not provided. It is hard to imagine that our borders are being
guarded by men on starvation menus. But that is provided the
allegations made in the video are true. At this point of time
all we have to go by is the word of the jawan and there is no
reason to believe that he is an apostle of truth. The problem
with self-publishing and citizen journalism is that even the
wildest allegations can be sold as the truth and the fact that
the video has received over four million hits is proof that most
believe it to be true. On the other hand, most viewers would
rather believe the jawan than the BSF and the large number
of hits show how little we trust our government, the BSF or
the army. An inquiry into the video is essential to dig out the
truth because in the world of social media the truth is always
a casualty.
