A delegation led by BJP Kashmir Incharge Sunil Sharma called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and discussed issues related to “complete revival” of Village Defence Committees (VDCs) and Dhok Defence Committees (DDCs).
Village Defence Committees (VDCs) were first set up in the mid-1990s in the Doda region and then in other districts for the self-defence of locals in remote hilly villages against terrorism, especially to protect Hindus and minority Muslims. The first VDC was set up under Shesh Paul Vaid when he was a Superintendent of Police in Bagankote village, Udhampur (now Reasi) in 1995.
BJP Kashmir Incharge Sunil Sharma said, “While apprising the Home Minister regarding various problems being faced by the VDCs/ DDCs, we briefed him about long-pending demands of these committees which included regularisation of VDCs/DDCs, regularisation of their salaries, filling the vacancies urgently and providing salaries to unpaid members. HM Shah gave a patient hearing to all the demands and immediately directed the ministry officials to ensure that all the genuine demands shall be resolved soon”.
While speaking to Republic, Sunil said, “Pakistan is making every possible effort to revive terrorism and to foment trouble in Jammu and Kashmir, VDCs and DDCs can be an asset for the country as they will act as additional hand for security forces in the Union Territory. This step to completely revive VDCs and DDCs will ensure that each and every nefarious design of the enemy gets foiled”.
As per official data, out of the total sanctioned 4,890 Village Defence Committees (VDCs), 4,153 have been constituted so far. There are 3,930 VDC Special Police Officers (SPOs), 1,860 paid, 2,293 unpaid VDCs and a total of 27,515 members of these VDCs.
Earlier, in August 2021, Director General of J&K Police Dilbag Singh ordered filling up of all vacant positions of Special Police Officers (SPOs) engaged with the Village Defence Committees to fully re-active the Village Defence Committees in combating the terror threat in hilly areas of Jammu region.