PDP demands disbanding of Village Defence Committees

SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party today demanded disbanding of Village Defence Committees (VDCs) saying there is no need for them to continue and have arms and ammunition.

"The disbanding of VDCs should have been a natural consequence of the situation when it improved.

"What is the number of militants in Jammu province? I think it is zero-ish. What do you need them (VDCs) (for)? ," PDP president Mehbooba Mufti told reporters here.

Mufti urged the state as well as the Central government to review the continuance of the VDCs and demanded their arms and ammunition be taken back.

"I would urge both the state and the Central government to review this (VDCs) and in case they feel that many of these boys are going to lose their employment, then they can put them somewhere else but take the guns away from them," she said.

These members can be adjusted somewhere else and given other opportunities, the PDP leader said.

"Some of them have crossed their age-bar. They are into their fifties and sixties. But you can give youngsters other opportunities and employment rather than handing them guns.

"When we came to power, we reigned the Special Task Force. Task Force was doing what VDCs are doing now. I think it should have been the first priority of the government to reign them (VDCs) in. Government is talking about revocation of AFSPA and many big issues, but this is a very important issue," she said.