STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The decision of the government, not to disband Village Defence Committees (VDCs), announced on the floor of the House is praiseworthy and welcome, said Brig Anil Gupta, State Spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party. “The government’s unambiguous announcement has set to rest many rumours being spread by the vested interests about the future of the VDCs and will bring cheers to the thousands of volunteers who are members of these committees. The VDCs did yeoman’s service at the peak of militancy in the far flung areas. Even now when the separatist and fundamentalist forces are raising their ugly head again they have a very important role to play,” said Brig Gupta. Gupta said, “Certain forces inimical to the VDCs have been spreading a canard against them by blaming them for human rights violations and misuse of allotted weapons by their members. These forces are working at the behest of separatist and anti-national forces to further the cause of militancy and in order to demoralise the members of the VDCs. By doing so they want to assist the terrorists in having a free run to spread their reign of terror in far flung places leading to migration and demographic changes. Rather than appreciating the role of VDCs they are hell bent to defame them.” Brig Gupta appealed to the government to immediately enhance the salary of the VDC members to Rs. 6,000 as agreed and the funds for which have also been sanctioned as part of Prime Minister’s package.