New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) About 400 tradesmen in the Border Security Force (BSF) realised their long-held dream of serving the nation in 2024 when they got recruited in the force through Prime Minister’s Rozgar Mela initiative, but their dreams were short-lived as their services were terminated over fake skill certificates.
Deepak, a Delhi resident, sharing his suffering, said that he never imagined that he would face termination from the national service he had always craved.
After serving the BSF for nearly two years, he was dismissed from service over possession of a ‘fake’ certificate.
In fact, Deepak is not alone; there are around 400 tradesmen who were dismissed from jobs due to fake documents. All of them were reportedly tricked with fake skill certificates, issued by the cyber fraudsters.
Today, Deepak is facing a financial crisis and is also tense about how to fund his elder sister’s wedding, the responsibility for which lies on his shoulders.
Like Deepak, there are many BSF tradesmen who not long ago had flourishing career options, but today they are jobless and also carry a taint of submitting fake documents.
All the affected personnel, including cooks and water carriers, want their services restored and are calling for their reinstatement, failing which they plan to protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
The ‘Alliance of All Ex-Paramilitary Forces Welfare Association’ on Wednesday held a press conference at the Press Club of India regarding the dismissal of these 400 individuals.
The organisation demanded that the government reinstate these employees. It stated that these individuals were dismissed over fake documents and were themselves victims of cyber fraud. The organisation urged the government to reconsider the matter and provide relief to the affected employees.
The organisation also announced that if no action is taken on their demands, they will launch a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar starting October 9.
Speaking to IANS, Deepak said that he is from Delhi and was posted with the 155th Battalion in Ferozepur, Punjab. He said he was informed that his certificate was not genuine.
According to Deepak, he fell victim to online fraud. He recounted learning about an institute via YouTube that claimed to issue valid certificates.
Deepak claimed that legal action and arrests were made against the individuals involved in the matter; however, they were released after a few days and are currently running their YouTube channel.
“We have been victims of cyber fraud. We are facing immense difficulties. My elder sister’s wedding has been put on hold. This job meant a great deal to us; we had worked very hard to secure it,” he said.
Ranbir Singh, General Secretary of the Alliance of All Ex-Paramilitary Forces Welfare Association, stated that the employees working as tradesmen were serving in the lower ranks of the force. Recruitment drives were held in 2023-24 for positions such as cooks, water carriers, and waiters. The candidates submitted the certificates required for this recruitment and served for two years. However, the documents later turned out to be fake.
“In reality, the fault does not lie with the young recruits, but with those who issued the certificates; the recruits themselves have been victims of fraud,” he argued.
Making a fervent appeal to the government, he said that with Diwali near, these personnel should be reinstated so that 400 families can also celebrate the festival.
Association President HR Singh described the situation as highly peculiar, saying, “These individuals had secured jobs as cooks, water carriers, and other tradesmen after successfully clearing written exams, physical tests, and document verifications. They served for nearly two years and became proficient in their duties; some even received awards for their performance. They fell victim to cyber fraud, and having served for two years, many are now ineligible for employment elsewhere due to age limits.
“While isolated cases might have been a different matter, dismissing around 400 people based on technical discrepancies is a serious issue. The government and the BSF should consider this matter from a humanitarian perspective,” he added.
Gajendra Singh Chaudhary, a retired BSF officer, supported their demand for a statement, claiming that the reason cited for their sacking was unfair and unsound.
–IANS
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