KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Asserting that Village Defence Committee (VDC) members play a major role along with armed forces in state, Bharatiya Janata Party State General Secretary and MLA Kathua, Rajiv Jasrotia Friday demanded strengthening of the VDCs in remote regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
“As the number of VDCs is declining day by day in the remote regions of mountainous districts like Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi, Rajouri, there is an urgent need to re-induct fresh numbers of VDCs to strengthen the outfit,” a statement issued by Jasrotia said this evening.
Jasrotia said, “it was only because of the cooperation of the VDCs that the armed forces succeeded in countering militancy in these belts as they acted as ‘’ears and eyes of the force’. Government should induct fresh VDCs equipped with weapons to fight terrorism.”
Jasrotia criticised all those who raised hue and cry over the role and relevance of VDCs and sought their disbanding.
Hailing VDCs for the “highly commendable role played by them in countering the insurgency since their constitution”, he said, “they have contributed significantly in ensuring an environment of safety and security particularly in hilly and remote areas of the state.”
“VDCs were constituted with the objective of not only providing self-protection in the remote and militancy prone areas but also to fight militants till the security forces could reach to neutralize the attackers.”
