
Just as john F. Kennedy stated, don’t ask what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country. We are making and building our Naga Nation by what we contribute not by what we want to and expecting things to happen. It is in the making that things can happen. Since the inception of our struggle against foreign invasion till date, the Naga people have been sacrificing by means of physical voluntary commitment to the cause as National workers and also by means of financial or material contribution. Every Naga is morally obliged to pay tax as well as contribute to the cause in whichever way possible. Freedom and sovereignty is our National Goal and we have been fighting for it with all our resources, energy and might. In the process of the struggle, many precious lives have been sacrificed on the altar of Freedom un-surrendered. Should we give up our fight or go on till our goal is achieved? The deaths of our forerunners, fore-bearers or founder leaders and many more after them should never be left devalued and forgotten by this generation and the coming one. The current trend of the Nagas’ mentality and attitude seems cool and indifference to the goal and struggle. The present attitude and perception about our Nation is so little and almost ignored. Some sections of the people are even refusing to give tax for the Nation. The recent proposal to exempt taxation from the educational institution and teachers are an indication of the fact. How can our Nation survive with its army and food to live on? Should the National workers starve when public particularly the leaders and teachers enjoy the freedom and security gained by the defender of the Nation? The random taxation and extortions committed by some National workers in the name of the Nation and spoiling the trust and support of the people but that should not hinder or cause the matter to be lost sight of the purpose or goal we have fixed. It is learnt that, the only 2 % monthly as employee tax are under challenged and resolving to exempt from the purview of taxation on the pretext of giving importance to education. What education are we Nagas minding about? Academic knowledge or moral education? One may say both, but where and how do we get the right education, if we don’t practice as we learn, We are making our society, a selfish one by thinking more of taking and less of giving. When we don’t want to give but take, can our Nation really grow?
Many forbearers and fighters of our Nation gave their lives, their all that we may live in freedom and that we may learn to give our best for our Nation. I am dismay to learn that some section/organisations of our Naga society are voicing their narrow views and reflecting in papers advocating exemption of tax from the teachers and institution. What motive or outlook do they manifest for the society? Greed and selfish base teachers or institutions cannot impart right or true education. Every true teachers and educational institutions must manifest and exemplify selfless service and commitment to building the Nation, making themselves and institution as back bone of the society and Nation. Whereas even the simple villagers and mere publics are paying their obligation (tax and percentage deduction due to the nation), why the educated, the leaders and the well-to-do should restrain the minimal tax levying on them?
I believe, every Naga has a moral obligation and responsibility to making our Nation by whichever way we can give. We tend to forget the sacrifices and giving of the past leaders and fighters of our society and nation, and go about complaining for the little inconvenience and short time discomfort without realising their frontiers, defenders and makers of the society.
I am to humbly appeal to all Naga leaders, teachers and students to commit to building our nation with whatever we all can do, give or contribute. We are morally guided by the injunction from the Bible to give. The scripture say, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”-Acts. 20:35. Again in Romans 13:6-7 it is written, “for the same reason, you also pay taxes; for the authorities are the Ministers of God. Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenues are due, respect to whom respect is due, and honour to whom honour is due”. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no ‘Authority’ except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.-Romans 13:1.
Z.D. Bon Gangmei
Concerned Naga Citizen
_____________________________________________________________
Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.