Dr Nirmal Singh addresses massive Sammelan of VDGs at Ramban

Ramban: Dr Nirmal Singh, former Deputy Chief Minister of J&K and Incharge Lok Sabha Cluster J&K addressed a massive Sammelan of more than one thousand Village Defense Guards (VDGs) at Ramban.

While addressing the Sammelan, Dr. Nirmal Singh remembered the sacrifices made by VDGs and their important contribution in containing terrorism in erstwhile Doda district and assured them of full support in favour of their genuine demands. He vehemently praised the work and the dedication of VDGs to save vulnerable population in crucial times and in difficult areas, where Army and Police could not reach in absolute time.

Dr Singh highlighted the sequence of events in the establishment of Village Defense Committees in the late 90s and early 2000s. He said that the local people were in dire need of local resistance to save them from the terror of extremists who craved their blood. He said that VDC came into existence with a struggle of people and BJP stalwarts of that time including those of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Dy. Prime Minister Lal Krishan Advani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at that particular juncture of time.

He said VDC members were harassed by NC-Congress and PDP-Congress governments. Dr Singh also assured the unpaid VDGs to resolve their issues at the highest level possible.

Dr. Singh asserted that the BJP has always highlighted their issues with priority and today, the BJP senior leadership will leave no stone unturned to address every single issue of theirs.

Dr Singh, on the occasion, asked the District Conveners of VDG Cells to start outreach programs to reach each and every VDG of Ramban keeping in mind the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024.

On the occasion, VDGs of Ramban District thanked Prime Minster Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and LG J&K for regularizing the Village Defense Committees into VDGs in terms of legal status and also regularized wages and service conditions.