Imphal, Feb 11 (IANS): The Manipur government on Tuesday urged people not to fall prey to unverified news, rumours or misinformation that may cause unnecessary panic or disrupt peace and harmony in the state and any attempt to incite violence or disrupt harmony would be dealt with strictly as per the law, officials said.
Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh in an appeal said that the government urges all citizens to remain calm and not fall prey to unverified news, rumours or misinformation that may cause unnecessary panic or disrupt peace and harmony in the state.
He said that in recent times, misleading information has been circulated through various channels, causing confusion and unrest. It has also come to the notice of the government that certain unscrupulous individuals and groups may deliberately attempt to incite unrest, disrupt harmony and spread fear among the public using false information, inflammatory content or fabricated narratives, Singh said.
The Chief Secretary said such attempts are intended to create lawlessness, and the public is strongly advised not to give heed to such misinformation or incitement.
"To ensure that people receive accurate information, the government has set up a Control Room, where citizens can verify any news or information they come across. The Control is operational 24x7. Maintaining peace, and law and order is a collective responsibility, and the government strongly advises all residents to remain vigilant against those trying to create disturbances," he said.
Singh said that any attempt to incite violence or disrupt harmony would be dealt with strictly as per the law.
"We urge community leaders, civil society organisations, religious leaders, student organisations, intellectuals and citizens to come together to foster unity and work towards rebuilding trust amongst all communities. Let us prioritise peace, understanding and development for the betterment of the state," he said.
For any clarifications, citizens are encouraged to contact the Control Room or their nearest authorities. Let us work together to keep the state safe, peaceful and united, the Chief Secretary stated.
In a bid to curb illegal extortion of money from civilians, government employees, contractors and others, the Manipur government earlier announced the establishment of a dedicated Integrated Anti-Extortion Cell under the Home Department and the cell would be incorporated by the representatives from the State Police, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), Assam Rifles and Army would be incorporated in the cell.