Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Sep. 15 (EMN): All shops and business establishments in Nagaland will remain closed on Thursday as the Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) has imposed closure of business activities across the state to protest multiple taxation by Naga political groups (NPGs) and government agencies.
The Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), which initiated the protest, reminded through a press release on Wednesday that the state-wide total shutdown would go ahead as called by the CNCCI
It informed that the 12-hour total shutdown will start from 6 am till 6 pm on Thursday.
However, the DCCI clarified that “the shutter-down protest is confined only to all shops, markets and business houses and restriction of goods transport”.
“The protest will in no way affect or hinder normal running of government offices, banks or educational institutions. Also there will not be restriction on plying of government or private vehicles except goods transport,” it informed.
It went on to inform that volunteers would be stationed at strategic points and gates to ensure smooth and peaceful observance of the democratic protest.
Meanwhile, it thanked the CNCCI and its subordinate district units, and civil society organisations for extending support in the collective fight against the menace of illegal multiple taxation.
It also acknowledged the steps taken by the state government in addressing some grievances of the business community but said that it agreed with CNCCI about the response of the state government on “certain demands” to be still vague.
The chairman of CNCCI, Khekugha Muru, had told Eastern Mirror that the state government had addressed some of its demands but certain demands are still very vague from their end, and also the issue of multiple taxation is not (something) to do with only state government but also with the Naga political groups”.
He said the business closure call would not be suspended.
Responding to CNCCI’s charter of demands, the state government said that security would be beefed up to check illegal taxation, collection of tax on items that comes under Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime to be stopped, and steps to be taken up by the Urban Local Bodies to include business communities in their advisory committees for taking decisions in respect to various business related activities.
The government also informed that the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (Sarfeasi) Act 2002, is under examination of the Select Committee of Nagaland Legislative Assembly. Subsequently, the committee said after its meeting on Tuesday that it would try to table the bill in the next assembly session.
Citing the steps it had decided to take up to tackle the taxation menace and improve the ease of doing business in the state, the government had appealed to the state’s apex business body to reconsider its proposed state-wide closure of business establishments.