India News | J&K BJP Delegation Meets Home Minister, Raised Various Long Pending Issues of VDCs

New Delhi, Mar 1 (PTI) A delegation of BJP leaders from Jammu and Kashmir called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Tuesday and discussed various issues related to Village Defence Committees and Dhok Defence Committees, a senior party leader said.

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VDCs and DDCs, which consist of villagers as well as police officials, were set up in the mid-1990s in remote hilly villages of militancy-hit districts of Jammu province including Kishtwar, Doda, Reasi, Ramban, Poonch and Rajouri for self-defence. They played a key role in wiping out terrorism from the region.

“We have taken time from the home minister and accordingly, an 11-member delegation led by general secretary and former minister Sunil Sharma met the home minister and apprised him of various issues and demands of the VDCs and DDCs,” J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina told PTI.

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He said the delegation highlighted the demands of the VDCs and DDCs, including the demand of members' regularisation, provision of salaries to unpaid members of these committees through direct benefit transfer in their accounts, the release of pending salaries and filling up of vacancies to strengthen these committees.

“We have been pursuing the issue of VDC members for the past two years. They did a commendable job in fighting Pakistan-sponsored terrorists by working shoulder to shoulder with police, Army and other security agencies over the years,” the J&K BJP chief said.

Raina, on whose directions the delegation met the home minister, said each VDC group comprises nine members including three special police officers and they suffered a lot due to the lack of any proper policy for their welfare.

“We have already raised the issue with lieutenant governors over the past two years to redress their grievances,” he said, adding a delegation of the VDC members met him the previous day in Jammu and he assured them that all their issues would be addressed.

Raina said the home minister gave a patient hearing to them and also took swift decisions regarding some of the issues on the spot.

“He immediately directed the ministry officials to prepare a proper proposal regarding the salaries of unpaid members and also assured that all the genuine demands of the VDC and DDC members will be resolved soon,” the BJP leader said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)