VDF personnel impose 24 hr bandh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 27 2015 : Giving more teeth to their demand, the All Manipur VDF Welfare Association has called a 24 hour State wide bandh with effect from midnight today.

Among others the demands of the VDF personnel include honorarium in sync with the demand of the time, service security, 13 months honorarium etc.

In a statement, the VDF personnel said that in was in pursuit of these demands that they launched a pen down strike since March 20 and VDF personnel had left their stations as part of the agitation.

Recalling the past, the statement said that VDF personnel under the All Manipur VDF Welfare Association had gathered at THAU ground on March 25 to hold a meeting with representatives of civil society organisations.

After the meeting the VDF personnel took out a rally but a police team led by the Additional SP (Law and Order) cracked down on the rallyists.

Moreover 16 VDF personnel have been taken into custody and 40 vehicles of the VDF men were confiscated.

The arrested men must be released without any conditions and the seized vehicles must be returned to their owners, added the statement.

Until and unless the demand that their colleagues be released and the seized vehicles be returned are fulfilled, the VDF personnel will launch a series of agitation, said the statement and added that as part of the stir, a 24 hour general strike has been imposed from midnight of March 27.Moreover an indefinite economic blockade will be enforced from March 30 .

The State Government must be held responsible for any untoward incidents during the period of agitation, added the statement.

The Association also urged all the VDF personnel posted in the nine districts of the State to enforce the bandh and urged all to extend their co-operation.

Extending support to the course of agitation announced by the VDF personnel, the All Manipur VDF Guardian Association today said that the demands raised are justified and should be implemented by the State Government.

Instead of listening to the genuine demands of the VDF personnel, the Government cracked down upon the VDF personnel, resulting in the detention of 16 VDF personnel.

The action of the Government should be condemned by all, said the guardians in a statement.

Meanwhile the VDF Welfare Association, Ukhrul has expressed strong resentment against the police action on March 25 at Imphal.

The rally turned violent because the police attempted to disrupt the rallyists, it alleged and added that a large number of VDF personnel were arrested, reports Mungchan Zimik from Ukhrul.

The Association reaffirmed their decision to extend full support to the demands of All Manipur VDF Welfare Association.

They also appealed for the early release of the arrested VDF personnel.

VDF, Ukhrul will continue with the arm down agitation and abstain from daily assignments, it added.

On the other hand the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) has urged the authority concerned to resolve the VDF issue at the earliest.

In a statement, the civil society organisation said that the demands raised by VDF personnel are legitimate and justifiable as they are being utilised as regular police personnel while their honorarium is too meagre.

Saying that AMUCO has started seriously deliberating the issue, the statement said that the State Government must understand that VDF personnel are also human beings and they also have their families.

The statement questioned the authority concerned and the State Government how a person can manage their family needs with Rs 4000 per month.

VDF personnel are mostly put on duty from dawn to dusk, as such it is natural to raise their voice against such an illogical management of the authority concerned, the statement added.

Saying that VDF personnel were insulted, thrashed and arrested when they came out with their grievances, the statement said that the State would witness a huge mutiny if 10,500 VDF personnel take to street with their service weapons.

As such, the State Government must consider their demands and resolve the issue at the earliest, the statement added.

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