DIMAPUR, MAY 3 (MExN): The Konyak Union (KU) today asked that “middle class citizens be exempted from paying the COVID-19 cess on petroleum products.” A press release from the KU media cell stated that this cess would double the burden on the struggling citizens of the State.
“The State Government must judiciously execute a policy considering people's plight and suffering on account of continued locked down. Hence, the State Government must consider dual aspects regarding the current pandemic and the subsequent socio-economic implications while framing any policies,” it stated.
It urged the State Government to recognize the “structural dynamics of our society, its component, and its implication.” The KU said that there exists a three layered class of society in the State. The dynamics of existence and survival of these societies must be duly examined and evaluated, it stated.
The first, the KU said is the “rich and upper class Naga society.” It stated that “little known but huge amount of unaccounted money had been converted into what we term as purchased private property.” “The have-groups of society is immune to any form of hardship that may come along,” the KU claimed adding that they also have better access to modern health care facilities.
The middle class Naga society, it meanwhile stated has very little avenues or support from the government and they struggle for survival. “These sections of the society remain blind in any benefits that are available from the government. Today, considering the present scenario they are the least privileged section and most vulnerable to succumb to the pandemic,” the KU claimed.
Therefore, it reasoned that their struggle for sustenance & livelihood will be doubled by the COVID-19 cess. As such, it asked the State Government consider their plight before implementing such policies.
Meanwhile, the KU noted that the poorer sections of Naga society are “privileged to be benefited by various government schemes available.”
“These sections of society are least vulnerable to the current pandemic since this sections of the people are mostly rural inhabitants. The current imposition to levy Covid-19 cess on petroleum products shall not affect this section of the poor,” the KU said. Considering these factors, the KU appealed to the State Government to duly exempt those “struggling citizens” from the purview of the COVID-19 cess.
