Our Correspondent
Kohima | November 21
Over 10,000 government employees under the banner of Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employees’ Association (CANSSEA) today staged a peaceful rally here demanding immediate intervention of the Central government to withdraw the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Nagaland.
The rally started from Old MLA Hostel junction and culminated at Raj Bhavan by submitting memorandum to Governor PB Acharya. The memo demanded immediate intervention of the Central government to withdraw the NIA and dropping investigations against various departments under Government of Nagaland regarding illegal taxation by Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), considering the serious political dialogue between the Government of India and NNPGs.
Among the many banners and placards carried by the employees, some read “NIA leave our employees alone,” “Government of Nagaland give us security,” “Forced taxation is not equal to aiding and abetting,” “Government of Nagaland don’t let your government servants be the punching bags,” “ Action taken under duress cannot be termed as willfulness and anti national,” “Drop all charges unconditionally against the arrested government employees.”
The memorandum signed by CANSSEA president Dr. Zase Chüsi and general secretary Tarachu Fithu, among others, requested the Governor to immediately take up the issue with the Government of India.
“The government is well aware of the NIA conducting investigation into taxation imposed on government departments by various NNPGs and the fact that the officials of the NIA have been conducting raids and making arrest of officials from various departments in the state, and in due course 7 (seven) officials have been arrested and are being subjected to unimaginable ignominy interrogation at the custody of the NIA and labelling them as terrorist,” it said.
The State, the memo added, is well aware of the alleged taxation imposed by the NNPGs which have been going on since the beginning of the Naga freedom movement and “…all the officials of govt. establishments are victims, being held to ransom at gunpoint.”
“The undisputed reality is that payments of tax to the NNPGs are made not voluntarily or willingly, but under duress and fear of life and limb,” the memorandum stated, adding the State government is the living witness to the fact of the many instances where life had been taken because of resistance to such taxation and demands.
Maintaining that if the present state of affairs continues, no officer of the State government will be spared by the NIA, CANSSEA said the arrest of the seven officers is only a prelude to the onslaught to follow. “The State government cannot and must not turn a blind eye to what is happening to its servants,” it asserted.
The State government must protect the lives of the government servants by providing security as personal bodyguards and house guards to all the head of departments and the Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) across Nagaland, the Association demanded. “It must be understood that the HoDs and DDOs never patronized the NNPGs.”
Pointing out that the peace process is in motion and the political dialogue is at a critical stage in reaching an amicable solution, it cautioned that any disturbance at this critical juncture may jeopardize the fabric of a peaceful settlement. “If any solution is to be arrived, it must come from the central government for which, a peaceful settlement will not be achieved by mass arrest of innocent officers by the NIA,” the memorandum added.
It further stated that the Central government understanding the fact that the root cause of the problem stems from the NNPGs, which is political in nature and requires political solution, had resorted to intense political dialogue with the various NNPGs.
However, CANSSEA lamented that the “aggressive actions” of the NIA “reflect a different intention of the government which instead of finding solution is aggravating the problem, leaving the State government officials between the proverbial ‘devil and the deep blue sea’.”
In the event of no remedial action by the State government, “We shall be compelled to take recourse to action deemed fit to protect the interest of our employees,” the memorandum warned.
Governor assures to take up matter with GoI
Our Correspondent
Kohima | November 21
Nagaland Governor PB Acharya today assured Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employees’ Association (CANSSEA) to take up their demand stated in the memo with the Government of India after discussion with the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary.
A permanent solution must come into place in order to solve the problem of taxation imposed on Government departments and its agencies, the Governor stated, according to his PRO.
The Governor acknowledged the difficulties faced by the Government Officials and said that he will take up the matter with the Chief Minister in the regard, it added.
Meanwhile, CANSSEA president Dr. Zase Chüsi in a press conference here today asserted they will resort to any kind of action if their demands are not taken up by the government.
Core Committee convenor, Dr. Tali Imsong Ao also voiced against the NIA for arresting some officials on the ground of funding/sponsoring terrorists. He clarified that this had been wrongly reported.
Land Resources director Hoto Yeptho meanwhile informed that CANSSEA had earlier approached the Chief Minister TR Zeliang and also the Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar to apprise them on the issue, but nothing happened out of it so far.
“Political talk is going on between the NNPGs and GoI, and meanwhile, they are sending NIA to harass us,” Social welfare director Merangtsungba Aier rued.
