Manipur village defence launches indefinite strike, demands pay hike, regularisation

The Village Defence Force (VDF) personnel in Manipur have resolved to continue their indefinite “Pen Down, Gun Down” strike until their long-pending demands are fulfilled by the state government.

Addressing a press conference at the Manipur Press Club, the All Manipur VDF Employees' Welfare Association reiterated their decision to sustain the agitation, which began on May 15, warning of further intensification if the government fails to address their grievances.

Association president Sagolsem Sanjit Singh stated that around 10,050 VDF personnel are currently deployed across the state, many of them in red zone areas. Despite their high-risk duties, they continue to receive a monthly honorarium of just Rs 10,500. He stressed that the amount is insufficient to support their families, even though they perform duties similar to that of regular police personnel, especially during the ongoing crisis in the state.

Sanjit noted that while their service extension had been discussed during the Governor’s Council meeting, no official written order confirming the extension has been issued. Their current term expired on March 31, 2025.

The association is demanding the implementation of Section 18 of the Police Act, 1861, in line with VDF recruitment rules, an increase in pay, regularisation of their service, and a formal extension order. Among these, only the matter of extension has been partially addressed.

"We demand that our monthly honorarium be increased to Rs 30,000. If Section 18 of the Police Act is implemented, we are ready to serve anywhere across the country,” Sanjit said.

He added that the agitation will be intensified if the government fails to respond to their demands by tomorrow.