Jammu, May 08 (Scoop News) – JK BJP today condemned the covert attempt by the State Govt. to disband the Village Defence Committees (VDCs) by disengaging the SPOs and other members on flimsy grounds, despite of the commendable role played by them in effectively countering the Pak- sponsored terrorism during the last over 15 years .
Addressing a press conference Member National Executive of BJP Dr. Nirmal Singh, said that they have laid down their lives and their families too got eliminated in this process. Not only that they acted as Guides to lead the security forces to terrorist hide-outs but most of them were front line actors in this war against terror. It is strange that their status is not decided as to whether they are civilians or police men. Their duty is quite rigorous as they are deployed in militancy infested areas far away from their homes without food and shelter. In spite of their enormous sacrifices, they are being thrashed and beaten if they raise their grievances. Dozens among them have been disengaged on flimsy grounds. There are three SPOs in every VDC getting rupees three thousand each, which is to be distributed among eleven members of the VDC . In these hard days, how can they run their families. He said their service conditions are deliberately kept vague by the government, which is the worst type of exploitation during the period when every body talks about human rights violation.
Dr. Nirmal Singh said that in view of the increased threat of cross border terrorism to India, which is emerging as a global economy, there is a dire need to have a well equipped security Instrument like VDCs, which have proved its worth during the last about 20 years in Jammu and Kashmir. More so, when we are faced with most dangerous threat in the shape of Naxalism etc. Under such circumstances these gross root level security agencies should have been strengthened by the Government but facts are contrary .
There is a conspiracy on part of the state’s coalition government to slowly disband the VDCs when there is no guarantee of decrease in terrorism.
BJP demands that the disengagement of SPOs and VDCs on flimsy grounds should be stopped forthwith and those who have been ousted should be re-instated. Their period of service should be regularized.Their remuneration should be enhanced from rupees 3000 to rupees 6000.
The unpaid VDCs should be converted into paid VDCs.
Their service conditions should be settled through a statute.
The Central Government should introduce a bill in the Parliament to convert these VDCs/ SPOs into proper Security Force.
The able bodied persons should be absorbed into police and those who have rendered so many years of service in VDCs and have grown old should be provided with some means of livelihood.
Re-iterating party’s full support to the genuine demands and resolution of long pending grievances of SPOs and VDCs, Dr. Singh disclosed that the BJP has decided to launch a struggle for their rights. In this regard, the party activists in large numbers will sit on protest dharnas at every Block Headquarters on 14th of May 2012 to highlight the plight of SPOs and VDCs and a memorandum shall be submitted to Governor through the local Govt authority.
BJP State Vice-President Bali Bhagat, State General Secretary Sat Sharma (C.A.) and Pres secretary Balbir Ram were also present in the pres conference.
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