Village Defence Committees: Difference between revisions

'''Village Defence Committees''' (VDCs) were first setup in the mid-1990s in the [[Chenab valley|Chenab Valley]] area of Jammu and Kashmir for the self-defence of Hindus in remote hilly villages against militancy. They 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> 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 [[Nowshera, Jammu and Kashmir|Naushera]] sector.<ref>{{Cite web|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 minority 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 web|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 minority Muslims could be armed and Village Defence Committees could be set up with proper planning.<ref name=":1" /> 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" />