SRINAGAR: The authorities on Monday said more nearly 26500 people were working with the Village Defence Committees (VDC’s) set up in 1995 to fight militants in Jammu and Kashmir.
The VDC, given arms and training by the authorities for their use against militants, comprise ordinary citizens.
There were no VDC’s in Muslim-majority Kashmir, the hot spot of the armed conflict between militants and security forces, the chief minister Omar Abdullah told the legislative assembly in Jammu.
But he said 26567 peoples were working with the VDCs in 10 districts of Hindu-majority Jammu division and Buddhist-majority Leh district of Ladakh.
He said the highest number of VDC volunteers – 5818 – were working in Rajouri district had the highest number – 5818 – followed by Reasi with 5730 volunteers. Doda has 4822 VDC volunteers.
The lowest number of 37 volunteers are engaged in Leh.
Omar, however, said the volunteers were not paid any remuneration “because the engagement was purely of voluntary nature.”
The Village Defence Committees have often drawn flak from many human rights activists in the state. The activists have accused the volunteers of misusing the weapons “to violate human rights” – of Muslims by Hindu VDC members.
Pertinently, under the recently drafted JK Police Bill-2013, the government proposed providing a legal face to the VDC’s.
However, after furore among the civil society and activists, the authorities delayed putting the bill to vote in the legislative assembly and sought more suggestions from them.
