Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 16: Questioning the non-payment of honorarium of Village Defence Committee (VDC) members by the concerned authorities for the last 3-4 years, Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman JKNPP and former Minister today sought the intervention of J&K Lt. Governor and Union Home Ministry to address the concern of VDC members.
He said that VDCs have pinned high hopes from the Government and had expected an announcement on Independence Day acknowledging their contribution in the fight against militancy as also the release of their unpaid honorarium.
Lambasting BJP for discarding VDC members to languish and yell on roads for their wages, JKNPP leader said the nationalist people who rose to the occasion to become protective shield of the people, were used by BJP in its election campaigns for political gains.
He further said that exploitation did not end here as the VDC members who were placed under BPL and provided ration under AAY were mercilessly divested of the facilities after these were withdrawn by the previous BJP-PDP Government.
“Even their children entitled for scholarships under BPL category were also left in lurch and made to suffer. There have been bitter instances when VDC members succumbed to the miseries and ended their lives,” Singh claimed.
Harsh Dev also demanded that the facilities which were withdrawn from VDC members should be restored in their favour without any delay.
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