Content deleted Content added
|
|
|
| reference =
}}
'''Village Defence Guards Scheme''' (VDGs) formerly known as '''Village Defence Committees''' are groups of volunteer armed civilians first established in the mid-1990s in the [[Chenab Valley]] area of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] in India for the self-defense of local minorities, especially Hindus and Sikhs, in remote hilly villages against [[Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|Pakistan backed terrorism]].<ref name="AJ" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Revival of Village Defence Committees |url=https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/revival-of-village-defence-committees |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=Drishti IAS |language=en}}</ref> VDGs operate under police supervision. They are an emergency force that are used to resist an attack. They are not be allowed to do any operations anywhere or use weapons outside of the villages.<ref name="AJ" /><ref name=":2" />
On 15 August 2022, [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]] accorded sanction to the creation of the VDG.<ref>{{cite news |title=J&K Govt launches Village Defence Guards Scheme-2022 |url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/todays-paper/state/jk-govt-launches-village-defence-guards-scheme-2022 |work=Greater Kashmir |date=16 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref> VDG members are paid a monthly remuneration of 4,000-4,500 Indian rupees (US$48-$54).<ref name="AJ">{{cite news |title=Why India's revival of civil militias in Kashmir is raising fears |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/13/why-indias-revival-of-civil-militias-in-kashmir-is-raising-fears |work=Al Jazeera |date=13 March 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
In the 1990s, according to official data, at least 221 cases<ref name=":2">{{cite news |last1=Nanda |first1=Showkat |last2=Loke |first2=Atul |title=India Is Arming Villagers in One of Earth's Most Militarized Places |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/08/world/asia/kashmir-village-defense-committees.html |work=The New York Times |date=8 March 2023}}</ref> including nearly two dozen related to [[murder]], seven to [[rape]], and 15 cases involving [[riot]]ing were registered against the village defence guards.<ref name="AJ"/> However, fewer than 2 percent of the defendants were convicted.<ref>{{cite news |title=India arms Hindu militias to combat Kashmiri fighters |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1749890/india-arms-hindu-militias-to-combat-kashmiri-fighters |work=DAWN |date=29 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
As recently as 2019, the [[Jammu and Kashmir Police|Jammu and Kashmir police]] set up new VDCs in [[Kishtwar]] district,.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Arun |date=2019-07-17 |title=J&K cops overhaul village defence committees, PDP says Centre design to arm RSS workers |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jk-cops-overhaul-village-defence-committees-pdp-says-centre-design-to-arm-rss-workers-5833095/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2020-06-16 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> which has over 3,251 VDC members out of which 800 are armed.<ref name=":0" /> In Jammu and Kashmir, there were 4,125 VDCs as of December 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=5 December 2019|title=J&K village defence committees protest over pending salaries in Jammu, seek L-G GC Murmu's intervention|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/jk-village-defence-committees-protest-over-pending-salaries-in-jammu-seek-l-g-gc-murmus-intervention-7744801.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Firstpost}}</ref> The [[Indian Army]] conducts training camps for VDCs consisting of weapons training and intelligence gathering basics. On 15 September 2019, the Army trained VDCs in [[Doda district|Doda]] sector.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=15 September 2019|title=Indian Army organises training sessions for village defence committees in J-K|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/indian-army-organises-training-sessions-for-village-defence-committees-in-j-k20190915122155/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-16|website=ANI News|language=en}}</ref> They were mainly set up to protect Hindus and Muslims.<ref>{{Cite news|agency=Press Trust of India|date=2019-07-21|title=J-K: Police to revamp village defence committees to curb terrorism|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/j-k-police-to-revamp-village-defence-committees-to-curb-terrorism-119072100559_1.html|access-date=2020-06-16}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Bhat|first=Sunil|date=13 June 2020|title=Give arms training, weapons to minority Hindus, vulnerable Muslims in Kashmir: Former J&K DGP Vaid|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/give-arms-training-weapons-to-minority-hindus-vulnerable-muslims-in-kashmir-former-j-k-dgp-vaid-1688502-2020-06-13|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-16|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref> Following the killing of a [[Kashmiri Hindus|Kashmiri-Hindu]] [[Sarpanch]] in June 2020, former Jammu and Kashmir police chief said [[Shesh Paul Vaid]] that Hindus and Muslims could be armed and Village Defence Committees could be set up with proper planning.<ref name=":1" /> As of 28 February 2023, there are over 100 Hindu men armed and provided weapons training in Dhangri, [[Rajouri district|Rajouri]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-28 |title=India revives civil militia after 7 Hindus were killed in disputed region of Kashmir |url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/india-revives-civil-militia-after-7-hindus-killed-disputed-region-kashmir |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=Associated Press |language=en-US}}</ref> The first VDC was set up under [[Shesh Paul Vaid]] when he was a [[Superintendent of police (India)|Superintendent of police]] in Bagankote village, Udhampur (now Reasi) in 1995.<ref name=":1" />
==See also==
|
