VDFs threaten cease work strike
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 04 2017:
The All Manipur Village Defence Force (VDF) Welfare Association has threatened to launch a cease work strike from April 6 in case their pending demands are not fulfilled on or before April 5 .
A press release issued by the association's general secretary S Laltinggen Vaiphei said that they have submitted repeated memoranda to the State Government demanding salary hike and service security.
Whereas the incumbent Government has shown little interest to translate the previous Government's Cabinet decision adopted on December 24 last year, the present Chief Minister has been giving no response even though the association sought an appointment on April 1 .
In the meantime, the association submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister highlighting their demands on March 31 this year.
Even though the VDF has been shouldering immense responsibility in maintaining the State's law and order, the State Government has shown no interest to translate into action the previous Government's assurance to hike salaries of VDF soon after completion of the 2017 State Assembly election.
Taking strong exception to such attitude of the Government, the association held a general body meeting today and the meeting decided that all VDF personnel deployed in all the 16 districts of the State would launch a cease work strike from April 6 .
Any VDF personnel who is found discharging duty against the call for cease work strike would be expelled from the association and their names would be published in media.
While appealing to all police officers concerned not to mark any VDF personnel absent while on cease work strike, the association urged the State Government to fulfil their demands at the earliest adding that failure to look into the demands positively would only entail more intense agitation.