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Dimapur, Sep. 12 (EMN): Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) has supported the total closure of shops on September 16 called by Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) against what it termed as ‘rampant multiple and illegal taxation by various groups and government agencies.’
A NVCO’s statement issued by its media cell stated that consumers cannot remain as a ‘silent spectator’ over the illegal and unauthorised taxation which contributed to ‘price rise’ in the state markets as the poor/weaker section are badly affected in addition to Covid-19 pandemic. It blamed the government agencies for failing to maintain reasonable prices in the markets and also implement the Essential of Commodities Act.
“Illegal multiple taxes and threats by insurgents mixed with the inaction of the government amount to the denial of the right to life,” NVCO stated.
While blaming the state government for failing to control the rampant multiple and illegal taxation especially upon the transporters and business community, NVCO specifically asked the state chief secretary and the director general of police to respond to the menace.
It referred to a petition filed by a noted human rights activist, Radhakanta Tripathy, before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), who alleged that people of Nagaland have to pay taxes to the parallel government run by five insurgent groups apart from paying the government taxes. NVCO said it was after NHRC’s intervention, the Nagaland chief secretary and the DGP informed that all possible efforts have been made to curb the illegal activities of insurgents in the state.
Subsequently, NVCO stated that several trade bodies including the Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI), DCCI and Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) came out strongly with a demand to all the Naga political groups (NPG) to immediately refrain from multiple taxation besides asking the state government to immediately checked all such multiple taxation in the state.
While considering the hardships faced by several trade bodies, NVCO questioned the chief secretary and the DGP as to how far the information given to NHRC has been put into practice when several trade bodies are still demanding to check the illegal activities.
NVCO further stated that it had submitted several representations to the state government to execute the Gauhati High Court’s judgement and order dated 03.06.2014 to stop all illegal cash collections at check gates and highways. Meanwhile, NVCO reiterated to implement the order dated June 22, 2009 where the state government decided that no collection of taxes would be made by any organisation or individuals including government departments such as Police, Excise, Forest and Taxes department etc.
In a related statement, Nagaland Medicine Dealers’ Association (NMDA) decided to impose a total shutdown of all the pharmacies and medical business establishments in Dimapur on September 16.
The total shutdown has been called to protest the inaction of the state government against multiple and illegal taxations by various groups, an update from NMDA joint secretary Arijit Sharma stated. NMDA also cautioned that it would be compelled to take its own course of action by shutting down all its outlets indefinitely, if the government does not take appropriate action.
Meanwhile, NMDA also requested the Power department to take necessary steps to improve electricity supply in the town as most of the life-saving drugs and vaccines need to be kept in a refrigerator. It pointed out that due to power failure, it has become difficult to store and maintain necessary obligations of those life-saving medicines.