Imphal, May 03: Denouncing the State Cabinet decision of issuing guns to the people of Heirok and Chajing to fight UGs as irresponsible, United Committee Manipur (UCM) has categorically stated it is a ploy to encourage bloodshed among the people of the same bloodline.

The decision of the State Cabinet taken during a meeting yesterday has only shown that the Government of Manipur has no regard for the value of the lives of its own people, UCM said in a statement issued by its information and public relations secretary today.

If the Government has real concern for its people, then it could have deployed more State forces so that the people can move around freely and fearlessly.

But the decision of the State Cabinet to provide guns to some select people of Heirok and Chajing for fighting against UGs tantamount to encouraging more blood shed in the State when, whether it be the Central security forces or the State forces or the UG groups seem to have been gripped in a senseless killing instinct, the statement said.

Demanding to know whether the State Government would concede to the demand if some people started asking for guns to fight against the State Police Commandos and other Central forces who have been killing innocent people almost on daily basis along with levelling false charges and in fake encounters, UCM observed that the people of Manipur are today in the grip of terror from all quarters including the State-sponsored terrorism.

By taking the decision of providing guns, the State Government is trying to take advantage of the infuriated people of Heirok and Chajing and UCM would stand against such a decision of the Government and would not like any of the people of Manipur to fall in the trap, the statement said.

Nonetheless, the demand of the people of Heirok and Chajing should not be taken lightly and considered it as a warning signal to the unwanted activities of some UG groups, UCM said, while appealing to all the people, intellectuals, political parties, lawyers, journalists and other mediapersons to come up with their opinions on the issue so as to let everyone know that the decision of the State Cabinet is a decision endorsed by the public as a whole.