Monitor News Bureau
Jammu: Days after the killing of Kashmiri Pandit Sarpanch, Ajay Pandita Bharti, in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, former DGP of J&K Police Shesh Paul Vaid has favoured arming the minority Hindus and “vulnerable section”s among the Muslim community in the Kashmir Valley so that they can protect themselves from militant attacks.
Speaking to India Today TV at his Jammu residence, the former J&K top cop said that “all options must be explored for instilling a sense of security among the minority community of Kashmiri Hindus”
He also said that weapons should be provided to the members of the community and arms training should be given to them so that they can take protect themselves from the militant attacks. “There is no harm in giving arms training and providing weapons to the minority Hindu community as well as to the vulnerable section of the Muslims in the Kashmir valley,” said former DGP Vaid.
“Village Defence Committees (VDCs) can be constituted in the Valley. However, this formula requires detailed planning. Forming VDCs in the Kashmir Valley is difficult, but not impossible,” Vaid told India Today.
The former top cop recalled how he as the SSP of Udhampur in 1995 was instrumental in forming the first VDC in Bagankote village which was part of Udhampur district at that time. The village is now part of Reasi district carved out of Udhampur in 2007.
“After the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir valley, the militants then started targeting the minority Hindus in Chenab valley region of Jammu division. Many massacres of minority Hindus were carried out by the militants in the Chenab valley. But soon VDCs were constituted and people were given arms training. Muslims were also made part of the VDCs as they also faced attacks. This formula proved to be very successful and the mass exodus of Hindus was prevented,” SP Vaid told India Today TV.
