The himanta cabinet has decided to issue arms licenses to original domiciles in sensitive areas of the state. The decision is repugnant in theory and problematic in practice. Firstly it violates the basis of a modern state which has absolute monopoly over coercion. Second it violates the principles of constitutional governance where the state has to provide protection to all its citizens and also that it cannot discriminate on the basis of religion and ethnicity. The state seems to be abdicating its responsibilities. The decision also smacks of a ploy to up the communal tensions before next year’s elections. The results of free arms availability is evident in neighboring Manipur where it’s been more than two years of uncontrolled fratricidal violence which has rendered the state dysfunctional. The practice would be far more problematic than planned. Guns make people rogue and the deliberate arming of people would make crime unmanageable. Further it’s an established fact that disarming people is far more difficult than arming. What if they don’t return them later. Being a border state and surrounded by states having problem of militancy, increasing gun sales would facilitate illegal gun running. Assam with a population of about four crores and more than a third minorities, would be impossible to manage if anything similar to Manipur takes place. The police authorities need to protest against the decision.
