Imphal, June 15: United Committee Manipur (UCM) has come out strongly against the restrictions imposed in the observance of Great June Uprising Day on June 18 by the Government and said such an act would only aggravate the already hurt sentiments of the people who are ready to sacrifice their lives in defending the territorial integrity of Manipur.

UCM further said that �the Day would be observed as before�.

The Government should not view the proposed UNC rally and the June 18 observation organised by UCM to the extent that the two would pose serious threat to the law and order in the State, said UCM president Sapamcha Jadumani in an interview with The Sangai Express today.

He averred that it should be clear enough in the minds of the leaders of the Government that UCM has been observing the Day peacefully since 2002 and that there has been no report of untoward incidents.

The Government has declared June 18 as a State Holiday in recognition of the significance of the people's movement and the supreme sacrifices made by the 18 martyrs for safeguarding the territorial integrity of Manipur, Jadumani said, and questioned the rationale behind imposition of certain restrictions on observing the Day unlike in the past.

He asserted it is quite obvious that the proposed UNC rally on June 16 under the theme �Solidarity rally towards Naga unification� is an open challenge to the territorial integrity of Manipur.

As such the Government should take note of the differences between the two programmes, he said, adding that instead of imposing restriction, it would be more wiser for the Government to extend its support to the June 18 observation.

When asked if there would be any change in the programme in view of the restrictions clamped by the Government, UCM sticks to Jun 18 plans Jadumani replied promptly �there would be no change at all and we will observe the Day as before�.

After a hindsight, he added, �we did not organise any rally in the last three observances�.

People from across the State would come voluntarily to pay floral tributes to the martyrs at Kekrupat for which they (the people) have already arranged their own vehicles, he said.

The Day's observance would be more or less same with holding of death anniversaries of the 18 martyrs, people paying their floral tribute at the Kekrupat memorial and joining in the religious rituals and community prayer, he said, and pointed out that there had been not a single event that could consider as breach of law and order in the past.

If the Government tries to foil the path of the mourners, it would be very unfortunate, Jadumani said, adding categorically that the Government should take the whole responsibility for any eventuality in its bids to refrain the people from coming toward Kekrupat.