Dear Naga brothers and sisters, we are amongst the most literate state in the country and sadly we are vindicating the sceptics of literacy who always believed that literacy is not a good indicator of an educated and progressive populace. A lot has been written and discussed about the demerits of holding the municipal elections and it’s likely impact on the sanctity of article 371A. One of the main concerns of some of the people was that, apart from reservations to women, it would result in the infringement of the right of nagas over their resources through gradual taxation of property and loss of tribal land and other rights to non Nagas as a result of alleged sacrifice of article 371A at the altar of funds from the centre. In as far as reservations for women is concerned, everybody has a mother and sister or aunty, daughter,etc.,and how you look at this issue shows you in a different light in the eyes of different cultures. In as far as article 371A is concerned, it has withstood the test of various attempts made by successive governments and their departments and come out unscathed. One good example is the ruling of the supreme court on the non applicability of the provisions of the wildlife Act in the case of Nagaland in view of Article 371A. The next apprehension of the citizens at large is with respect to income tax on property under the municipal Act. At the outset, one should know that tax on property is never an income tax, it is rather a tax which is a state subject and the central government has no role in fixing the rates or administering property tax till date. The central government equivalent of property tax is wealth tax which falls under income tax. However, one need not worry about wealth tax as it has been abolished throughout the country from financial year 2016-17 onwards. Therefore, income tax being gradually brought onto the Nagas through municipal taxes is highly an ill informed apprehension. Given the above misunderstood apprehensions of some of the citizens, the demand for resignation of the cm and his cabinet is hugely misconceived and would lead a lesser mortal to suspect a greater political conspiracy against a team which, in two years time, has managed to get huge sanctions for physical infrastructure as well as social infrastructure running into tens of thousands of crore as reported in various local as well as national dailies. These achievements of the present government Will begin to manifest itself in the form of good roads, social welfare schemes, educational infrastructure, medical facilities etc., very shortly. Therefore, one pertinent question the concerned citizens should answer is, “should this unprecedented era of progress of the Nagas being ushered in by T.R.Zeliang and his team in the last two years be sacrificed for a cause which was based on wrong apprehensions leading to the death of two fine young Naga brothers.”
Vika Yepthomi
