A CRPF jawan has recorded a hard-hitting video expressing his anger against Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh. His video, posted on Facebook, has now been viewed more than 21,000 times.
Pankaj Mishra, who posted the video, is currently associated with the CRPF’s 221 battalion in West Bengal’s Durgapur district.
Mishra said, “I’ve heard that the DG sahab and some other officer are planning to visit Sukma. I want to tell them that there’s no use going there. You should send 20-25 battalions and get the operation started… I want to tell Rajnath Singh. Rajnath Singh ji, you are not turning out to be a good political leader. Under your stewardship, CRFP personnel are being beaten by canes. Under your leadership, the CRF men are being martyred.
“I want to let everyone know the same CRPF jawans provide security to Amit Shah and other VIP leaders. I also want to add that Rajnath Singh ji that we did not vote for you or the BJP. We voted for Modi.”
Mishra also slammed defence experts, who highlighted the poor training given to CRPF jawans.
He added, “Where were you (defence experts) when Pakistan beheaded your jawan? Where were you when the terrorists attacked your air base in Pathankot. You must investigate where our shortcomings lie.”
Addressing media persons, Mishra said that if they wanted to find out the root cause of the problem, they should have gone to Sukma and not seek answers from defence experts.
“Go to Sukma and speak to CRPF jawans and you will know where the problem is. When the roads are built, the credit is given to Chhattisgarh government, but jawans will have to sacrifice their lives. And Rajnath Singh ji, if you have iota of shame, then don’t pay tribute to martyred soldiers’ dead bodies. Go and visit their families and pay your respect,” Mishra added.
He appealed to his fellow CRPF jawans to raise their voices adding that there wasnothing to fear about.
“If you are scared about dying, then remember one day each one of you will die anyway,” Mishra concluded.
Disgruntled soldiers have been lately taking to social media platforms to highlight their plight and neglect they faced at the hands of the government.
Not so long ago, a BSF jawan, Tej Bahadur Yadav, had posted a video complaining of poor quality food in the force. He was later dismissed by the paramilitary force, which blamed him for causing damage to the reputation of the BSF.
In February, another BSF jawan had Major General (retired) GD Bakshi, known for his right-wing leaning, to task for allegedly describing the allegation of ‘sub-standard’ food as ‘mutiny’ during a TV news debate.
“Yeh mutiny nahin balki sainik utpiran ka virodh hai (This is not mutiny, but a protest against the exploitation of armed forces),” he argued in a new video posted on social media website Facebook on Friday.
Another army jawan in January this year had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the problems faced by the soldiers, soon after similar videos of complaint came to light from a BSF jawan and a CRPF constable.
Attacks of Maoists earlier this week had left 26 CRPF jawans dead in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma.