On extra constitutional taxation

Only a legally established State has the authority to collect Tax from its citizens, that too only rationally and reasonably, not otherwise.  The British Colonies in America refused to pay Tax to the British Government in far away United Kingdom because they, the Colonies, were not represented in the Parliament at London: No Representation: No Taxation.

There is another rationale in the question of Taxation and that is that a Government that does not give any Services to its Citizens has not the right to Tax them: No Services – No Taxation.

Three things are required for legal Taxation:
i.     The Tax collecting Authority must be legally established.
ii.     The Citizens must have Representation in the Law making Body.
iii.     The Tax must be used to provide Services to the taxed.

A Colonial Authority collects Tax by Force, it is not legal; only an Authority Elected on open Free Will exercise of the Citizen is a legally established Authority.

Of all the Naga Nationalist Groups, if any has any authority, it is the Group that arranged the Naga Plebiscite on 16 May 1951. The Naga Opinion expressed in that Naga Plebiscite is the only Free Will expression of the Naga People. People sometimes tell me not very happily I am a chronic supporter of one Group so let me not mention the Group here!

Did all Nagas gave their Thumb Impression in that Plebiscite? It is an emphatic ‘No”; not all Nagas could gave their Thumb Impression.  

Political Rights are inherited like Family Property. Most Indians today did not participate the Constituent Assembly of India on 9 December 1946 by which the decision to make an Independent Union of India was taken by the Represented People of India. Today all Indians inherit that decision.

Those who accept the decision of Plebiscite of 1951 have the right to own the Inheritance.

The Deputy Commissioner Dimapur has unequivocally and boldly come out on the Truth of the Taxation question by State Government of Nagaland only and no others. She does not require any further investigation; if any Gaun Bura collects Tax on behalf of any authority other than the State Government, that Gaunbura should be straightway dismissed from the Service.

Very surprisingly the ‘NPF Press & Media Bureau’ brought out an unbelievably naïve Press Release on the Gulmal. It is so naïve I even  suspect it might have been put out in the News Media without the scrutiny of the experienced Theoreticians of the Party. Let me quote their Press Release:

“the ceasefire does not have any rehabilitation formula or any provision of substance for national workers. This has made the national workers resort to taxation in various forms…..the GoI has not been sympathetic to the Naga people…..”

I agree this is 100% truth as NPF claims! But does lack of ‘rehabilitation formula’ in the Ceasefire give the Naga Nationalists, rejecting India’s claim to Nagaland and fighting more than half a century often bloody war for Nagas Sovereignty, any right to expect Rehabilitative provision of substance for Naga national Workers and complain that India is unsympathetic to Naga? Well….., well……., well…….!

I find no valid rational political reasons to justify this unauthorized collection of Tax through the Barrel of the Gun rather than through Income tax Laws without giving any Service in return to the cowed down citizens.

Thepfulhouvi Solo

__________________________________________________

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.

 



Support The Morung Express.
Your Contributions Matter
Click Here