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| Strengthen VDCs rather than disbanding them on separatists' behest: Mankotia | | Clamour over VDCs | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Aug 21: Lending his weight against the rhetoric over disbanding the village defence committees, the President Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) and MLA Balwant Mankotia has strongly condemned all those who are vying for the disarmament of VDCs advocating their non-relevance in present times.
Talking to Early Times, Balwant Mankotia said that the demand of disbanding VDCs is nothing but a vicious campaign launched by the Hurriyat Conference, who speaks the language of Pakistan and wants to hoodwink the people by raising such issues. "We will not allow Hurriyat people to extend their anti-national agenda in Jammu province. They want to misguide the people by demanding disbanding of VDCs, which will be countered effectively," Mankotia said, When asked that the Hurriyat Conference and few others are claiming that VDCs have become irrelevant with the passage of time, pat came the reply from Mankotia, "Who says VDCs are no more relevant?"
"If everything is fine and the situation is peaceful in the state then what is stopping Union Government to revoke Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)… The continuation of AFSPA is an indication that peace is not fully restored and the things are not okay yet… The issue of disbanding VDC comes only after withdrawing AFSPA…. It could be considered only then, not now," Mankotia retorted.
Maintaining that the role of VDCs has been completely misinterpreted by some vested interests, the Panthers leader claimed that the critics of VDCs are trying to take advantage of the situation as there is a sense of insecurity among a section of the society.
"Those who demand discontinuation of VDCs do not know the ground realities… Even members of Muslim community residing in those areas where they are in minority seek VDCs as they feel insecure while same is the case with the Hindus where they are less in numbers," Mankotia asserted.
"Such a sentiment is prevalent in both Hindu and Muslim communities… Instead of disbanding VDCs, the Government should concentrate on removing such sense of insecurity among two major communities of the state… Steps should be taken to instill confidence among people. VDCs had vital hand in containing militancy in hilly areas and they valiantly protected people but now their role is unfortunately being bracketed on religious lines," he added Reiterating his party's support to VDCs, Mankotia said that the Panthers Party' stand is clear and there is no vagueness on its part over the issue.
"We fully support the VDCs… We demand their strengthening and they should be continued till the militancy is completely wiped out of the state… Any move to weaken VDCs could prove counterproductive," Mankotia maintained.
"Infiltration attempts by the terrorists are on the rise and tension is growing on border with each passing day…. Under such a scenario how one can even think of disbanding VDCs…. It is certainly out of question …They (VDCs) can be disbanded when there is no sign of militancy in the state," he added. |
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