Following severe criticism by the BJP for never attending the parliamentary defence panel’s meeting and only “demoralising” the forces with his comments on the India-China face-off at the LAC, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday recorded his maiden attendance even as Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat apprised the MPs that India was prepared for any eventuality at the border.
The official agenda for the meeting was listed as ‘’provision and monitoring of the quality of ration and livery items to the Defence forces, especially in border areas’’ and Rahul asked why there is a difference in food for jawans and officers.
The CDA explained that differences exist in the food habits of officers and jawans who are mostly from rural background. But jawans are served the same quality and quantity regardless of their station, Rawat said adding soldiers prefer rotis and officers opt for bread, jawans prefer desi ghee while officers may opt for cheese.
General Rawat also informed the Standing Committee on Defence that regional differences in food habits also prevail. Soldiers from north prefer wheat while those from south and east prefer rice, he pointed out.