JAN 3, 2025 (IMP/TBL): The state government’s unstated silence on the pressing demands of the Village Defence Force (VDF) in Manipur has brought disappointment and frustration, and the central committee of the VDF Association is likely to take out a mass rally on January 16 in Imphal to further their demands for the welfare of the VDF.
The Thoubal District VDF Welfare Association expressed grief that the government is not taking their demands seriously. The association’s publicity secretary, Laishram Nabadip Meitei, stated that VDF personnel have been submitting memoranda to the government at various levels, demanding revision of the pay structure, service regularisation, and implementation of Section 18 of the Police Act, 1861. However, the government has not taken any concrete steps to address their grievances, according to a release signed by the publicity secretary.
The association said the government had earlier assured a pay hike from January 2026, but no discernible steps have been seen so far, including any affirmative statement on the MoU signed between the state government and the association.
The association has been on a gun-down and pen-down strike since December 23, 2025, demanding that the government fulfil their demands. It appealed to the authorities to take note of the difficulties faced by VDF personnel, who are working tirelessly to maintain law and order in the state, often putting their lives at risk. They demanded that the government provide better working conditions and facilities and recognise their contributions to the state.
