Ajay Kumar: Add new article

2023-07-23T22:37:30Z

Add new article

New page

{{short description|Armed villagers groups in Jammu and Kashmir}}
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname = Village Defence Guards
| nativename = Village Defence Committees
| nativenamea =
| nativenamer =
| commonname =
| abbreviation = VDGs
| logo =
| logocaption =
| motto =
| mottotranslated =
| mission =
| patch =
| patchcaption =
| flag =
| badge =
| badgecaption =
| flagcaption =
| imagesize =
| formedyear = 1996
| formedmonthday =
| preceding1 =
| dissolved =
| superseding =
| employees =
| volunteers =
| budget =
| country = India
| divtype = Union territory
| divname = [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]
| subdivtype = Region
| subdivname = [[Chenab Valley]]
| subdivdab =
| map = Jammu and Kashmir location Chenab Valley.jpg
| mapcaption = Map of the Village Defence Committees's active region
| sizearea = {{convert|11,885|km2|sqmi}}
| sizepopulation = 924,345
| legaljuris = [[Chenab Valley]]
| governingbody = [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
| governingbodyscnd =
| constitution1 =
| police = Yes
| local = Yes
| speciality1 = Anti-militancy operations
| overviewtype =
| overviewbody =
| headquarters =
| hqlocmap =
| hqlocleft =
| hqloctop =
| hqlocmappoptitle =
| sworntype = Defence Guards
| sworn officers =
| civilians =
| total employees =
| electeetype =
| minister1name = [[Amit Shah]]
| minister1pfo = [[Union Home Minister|Ministry of Home Affairs]]
| chief1name = Dilbagh Singh,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/jammu-and-kashmir-police-chief-sp-vaid-removed-director-general-prisons-dilbagh-singh-to-take-over-1912646|title=SP Vaid Removed As Jammu And Kashmir Police Chief|work=NDTV.com|access-date=2018-09-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/jammu-and-kashmir-police-chief-sp-vaid-removed-director-general-of-prisons-dilbagh-singh-to-take-over/1304987/|title=Jammu and Kashmir police chief SP Vaid removed, Director General of Prisons Dilbagh Singh to take over|date=2018-09-06|work=The Financial Express|access-date=2018-09-06|language=en-US}}</ref> [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]
| chief1position = [[Director General of Police]]
| parentagency = [[Government of Jammu & Kashmir]]
| child1agency =
| unittype =
| unitname =
| officetype = Districts
| officename = {{collapsible list |Kathua |Samba |Udhampur |Reasi |Rajouri |Poonch |Doda |Ramban |Kishtwar }}
| provideragency =
| uniformedas =
| stationtype =
| stations =
| airbases =
| lockuptype =
| lockups =
| vehicle1type =
| vehicles1 =
| boat1type =
| boats1 =
| aircraft1type =
| aircraft1 =
| animals1 =
| animals2 =
| person1name =
| person1reason =
| person1type =
| programme1 =
| activity1name = Patrolling,<br/>Area Domination, <br/>Surveillance<ref name="dutiesCT">{{Cite news| title=Doda Police Briefs Heads of VDGS About Their Charter of Duties|url=https://thechenabtimes.com/2023/01/07/doda-police-briefs-heads-of-vdgs-about-their-charter-of-duties/|date=7 January 2023|work=[[The Chenab Times]]|access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref>
| activitytype = Village Defence
| anniversary1 =
| award1 =
| website =
| footnotes =
| reference =
}}
'''Village Defence Guards''' (VDGs) formerly known as '''Village Defence Committees''' is a civilian [[militia]] first established in the mid-1990s in the [[Chenab Valley]] area of Indian-administered territory of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] for the self-defence of locals, especially Hindus, in remote hilly villages against militancy. It consist of villagers as well as police officers.<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/|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-16|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> The VDGs have been accused of numerous human rights violations including dozens of murder and rape cases.<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 members of the VDGs.<ref name="AJ"/> However, fewer than 2 percent of 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]].<ref name=":0" /> Kishtwar has over 3,251 VDC members out of which 800 are armed.<ref name=":0" /> In Jammu and Kashmir there are 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|url-status=live|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/|url-status=live|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|url-status=live|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 |url-status=live |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==
*[[Salwa Judum]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Kashmir conflict}}

[[Category:Kashmir conflict]]
[[Category:Kashmiri Hindus]]

Village Defence Guards - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Add new article