Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 16
Vehemently denouncing the burgeoning tax-collection activities in Nagaland and reminding the State Government that it’s apathy towards checking the already saturated collections and tax/levy system, both authorized and illegal, tantamount to conniving with ‘the nefarious elements’, the GB (Village Chief) Federation has urged Governor Shyamal Datta to intervene immediately and exert checking of the culpable activity which is causing much hardship on local commercial transporters, particularly truckers.
“It is a fact that if the authorities fail to take action against the anti-social elements, it will be the anti-social elements who will take advantage of weakness of the Government. If the administration takes no action it will amount to agreeing and conniving with such nefarious elements (collecting taxes)” reminded TL Angami, Advisor, GB Federation, in a representation to the Nagaland Governor.
Bringing to Governor Datta’s notice publications in local newspapers on the daily large-scale unauthorized taxes by both Government entities and NGOs, the Federation charged the State Government of turning a deaf ear to the plea of the affected commercial community. “(And) till date, collections instead of being stopped are increasing everyday. At this rate Nagaland will soon become a free-for-all in the very near future” cautioned the letter while questioning how various State and unions/associations could extract tax daily under “the very nose of the administration and that there is no one in your government willing to put a stop to such nefarious activities.”
In the light of the matter, the GB Federation has asked for clarification as to how and under what Act/Laws or ‘compulsion’ the collections and taxes have been permitted ‘under your government’. If not, what action has been taken or measures to be taken against the illegal collections be clarified, it demanded. “Failure to take effective steps against such challenges may amount to abdication of authority” the representation reminded. Incidentally, all these unions/Associations were registered from the authority, it also noted.
