TN Manen IAS (Rtd)
It was delightful to see a news item in Tthe Morung Express on the 9th Feb, 21 about the directive from the H.C to re-examine the honorarium and allowances of the VGs in Nagaland. It is ironic that the court has to intervene to take cognizance of the neglected plight of one of the finest disciplined Village Volunteer Force who are, for the past more than half a century, have been magnificently guarding the vulnerable isolated and inaccessible villages along the Indo-Myanmar frontier and performing other multifarious tasks efficiently but unknown to most people except people from now the six frontiers in the erstwhile Tuensang District.
Historically, the Village Guard (VG) is founded at Pangsha Village with the initiative of Padmashri Late Major R Khating M.C (IFAS) who was then the political officer of Tuensang Frontier Division under NEFA Administration. Initially 300 village volunteers were recruited primarily to protect the helpless villagers from violence against the life and properties from the UG and other criminals.
It was formally launched on 1st March 1957 designated as the Village Defence Guard (VDG). The GOI has given formal recognition to the Constitution of the VDG through a letter from the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi(Letter No.F64/1/59-wn.dtd 26th Feb,1959) since the Naga issue was under the External Affairs Ministry then.
Subsequently, it was expanded to the other districts strengthening it to 2000 volunteers. Initially, a military liason Officer at the rank of Lt. Col was appointed and attached to the Nagaland Commissioner Office at Kohima to supervise and command the force.
Besides their primary duty of protecting the villages’ life and properties, their secondary responsibilities has been road patrolling and protection, as guides and escorts to the civil administrative officers and VIPs on tour, ceremonial duty etc were assigned to them.
On attainment of statehood in 1963, the VDGs in other districts were absorbed into 1st and 2nd battalions of Nagaland Armed Police. Only the Tuensang wing was retained covering the present 6 districts (Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Noklak, Kiphire and Meluri sub-division of Phek). Later the VDG was re-designated as VG of Nagaland with HQ at Tuensang under the Commandant while the Commissioner of Nagaland continues to remain as Ex-Officio Commandant General of VG.
Subsequently it was about to disband the VG organisation permanently but on the demand of the people from Mon-Tuensang, it was retained to protect the frontier villages from harassment and exploitation from the criminal elements and to assist administration in guarding the international border areas.
Since its inception, the VDG/VG personnel had rendered invaluable services in guarding, protecting, assisting district administration in maintenance of law and order and controlling any wrong doers and criminals in the frontier areas. Thus they have deservingly earned the nickname of “the Guardians of the Frontiers”.
Their valuable services and sacrifices have been nationally recognised by conferring many Ashok Chakras and Presidential Awards in recognition of their meritorious services. Over the years, they have proved themselves indispensible in not only in efficient maintenances of law and order but in all other multifarious duties assigned with exceptional courage, devotion to the call of duties with only a paltry honorarium and allowances.
During my tenure as Ex-Officio Commandant General-cum-Commissioner Nagaland, the monthly perk was enhanced from Rs.250/- to Rs.500/- per month effective from 2002 onward which is further been enhanced but much below the expected deserving level. Few other facilities were provided then, like uniform and needed equipments, guns and ammunition etc with the approval of the Home Ministry through the initiate of the State Government.
However, even today, the allowances and facilities provided to them do not commensurate with their responsibility assigned which they discharged with absolute loyalty.
In fact, the judgement of the HC to urgently examine for enhancement of honorarium and allowances and other needed facilities should be carried out without any doubt and delay in the line suggested comparable to Grah Rakshak Home Guard Welfare Association(Supra). In fact, the Nagaland VG is a unique versatile multi-tasking volunteer force. The various multifarious duties they efficiently perform with dignity are incomparable to many other para-military auxiliary forces like the Home Guards. They deserve to be treated fairly in providing remuneration and allowances commensurable to the duties they perform. This is urgently required.
