Village Defence Dal Protests in Patna for Jobs and Pay Scale Ahead of Assembly Session

Over 150 Village Defence Dal members protested in Patna demanding permanent jobs and a fair honorarium, warning of a Vidhan Sabha gherao during the upcoming Assembly session.

Over 150 Village Defence Dal members protested in Patna demanding permanent jobs and a fair honorarium, warning of a Vidhan Sabha gherao during the upcoming Assembly session.

Patna: Around 150 members of the Village Defence Dal and Police Mitras from various districts gathered in Patna’s Gardanibagh on Wednesday, calling for permanent employment and a fair honorarium. The demonstrators, led by Provincial State President Sikandar Paswan and member Kailash, accused the Bihar government of ignoring their demands despite over a decade of protests.

Sikandar stated that their struggle has been ongoing since 2012. “We are uniting ahead of the Bihar Assembly’s monsoon session to ensure our voices are heard. We will also gherao the Vidhan Sabha if needed,” he said.

Protesters alleged they are deployed with nothing but uniforms and sticks, often assigned duties at major government events, yet never compensated with a respectable honorarium or job security. “The state sends us out on duty but refuses to acknowledge our service with proper pay,” Sikandar said.

The group is now strategising a larger movement to coincide with the assembly session, urging the government to take immediate action on their long-standing demands.