Dimapur, June 1 (MExN): The Sumi Council Dimapur today stated in a press release that the rampant taxation on all businesses may benefit a few, but “it is the public who carry the brunt of this burden.” Sumi Council Dimapur Chairman, Kuhoi Zhimomi said that various taxes like entry tax, dealership tax, retailership tax, godown tax on one single item is nothing, but a ploy to drain our economy by a few vested interested individuals in the name of Naga nationalism. “Our people are dependent on Government salaries to a large extent and they are also not spared from paying service taxes by these same organizations,” the council stated. “This trend is bound to make our people sit up and express their resentment in the form of retaliations. Hence, this needs to be stopped before it becomes cancerous and affects every one of our lives.” The Sumi Council has therefore, expressed its “solidarity and full cooperation to all civil society bodies who have taken it up to free our society from the menaces of monopoly and unwarranted taxes.”
In support of the Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT), the Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) has urged all the civil societies in Nagaland to come together to fight against the menace of tax. The NVCO stated this was the right time for every citizen irrespective of tribes, places, districts, and organisations “to come together and do away with this illegal taxation, which has been going on for the last several decades.”
NVCO, President, Kezhokhoto Savi said that the fight against taxation was one main agenda and the organisation had been fighting for the last several years, especially collection of cash at the check-gates on highways. Therefore, NVCO has appealed to the State government to take effective legal actions against the illegal activities. “Somewhere or the other the state government has been failing in effective implementation of the Essential Commodities Act where the prices are to be controlled and maintained at reasonable prices by the authorities in the state,” it stated. “The state government has to come up with strong mechanism in controlling and fixation of prices of goods and services.”
Medziphema Town, GB Union and Medziphema Town Trade & Chamber of Commerce have extended support to ACAUT representing Naga Civil societies of Dimapur district. “Nagaland is legally the least paying tax, which turns into illegally the highest paying tax and that deform our economy system in every field,” the two bodies stated while calling on every right thinking person and organisations to condemn this kind of multiple taxation and to voice-out to support ACAUT for the betterment of Nagaland.
The Chakhroma Youth Organization (CYO) has issued a statement supporting Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT), while expressing disappointment over “rampant multiple taxations” imposed by various factions. “Naga National Movement started to defend our rights and to establish independent Naga State,” CYO stated, adding “Free will donation, nominal tax was taken to run a humble movement earlier, but what do we see today.” Further, CYO urged the leaders from all factions to “wake up from their slumber, check all the excessive taxation and immediately stop dealership (Syndicate) system” before all their credibility and sacrifices are wiped out from the history of Naga National Movement.
The Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce & Industries (MCCI) also stands in support of the Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) comprising of Dimapur-based civil society and public organizations. MCCI President, Moasangba Jamir in a press release states, “It is ironic to know that prices of many commodities cost higher in Dimapur than in Mokokchung, the sole and only reason being back-breaking multiple taxes imposed upon the business community by various underground groups.” MCCI extends its solidarity to the ACAUT, Dimapur in “this just cause and encourage the ACAUT to pursue the matter till the end in the interest of public good.”
Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) has also expressed its solidarity to the ACAUT on taxation by various factions on business community. The proposal of the ACAUT to give one tax annually to all the faction is justified and reasonable, the WSYF stated urging the collective leadership of every faction to respect the sentiments of the people and take note of their untold sufferings. The WSYF also expressed concern about the situation that may develop, if the parties involved cannot resolve the issue amicably, as it will inevitably lead to indefinite closure of business establishment in protest, in which case, the public who will suffer. “Every organization is for the people, therefore, in the interest of the livelihood of the people the WSYF urges the Collective Leadership of all the factions to pay heed to the plight of the business community and the people and to resolve the impasse in the interest of the welfare of the public,” WSYF, General Secretary Mughavi Chishi stated in a press note.
