Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 28
EXTENDING solidarity to the initiative taken by the Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT), the Youth Association of Nagaland (YAN) organized a ‘free and voluntary cycle & motorcycle rally’ in Dimapur early Monday morning. The initiative of YAN has come as a boost to ACAUT as the rally is aimed at spreading awareness for the campaign against illegal taxation and also to mobilize support for the October 31st ACAUT rally at City Tower.
The Monday morning rally attracted by over 40 cyclists and motorcyclists who came from the nook and corner of Dimapur. The rally was flagged off by YAN advisory board member Lipok Ao at TK Service Station, (2½ Mile) at 7 am and culminated at City Tower junction after moving around Dimapur town.
The motorcyclists were mostly members of the Nagaland Motorcycle Club Dimapur Union, while among the cyclists there were even school students. Some of whom chose to cycle than go to school to support cause.
Much to the appreciation of the assembled crowd, it was a 15-year old boy Sanyühu Vero from St John School who received the loudest applause for his participation. When asked, Vero said he wants Nagaland to be free from all sorts of illegal taxations. He dreams to see a healthy and progressive Naga society.
The cyclists and bikers were received by members of YAN, ACAUT, DCCI, Naga Council, DNSU and others at City Tower, wherein a brief programme was held at the culmination point. On reaching City Tower, they also pledged their support for ACAUT signature campaign by appending their signatures.
Addressing the Dimapurians who assembled for the programme, DCCI president Hokivi Chishi appealed the general public for support towards the campaign against illegal and unabated taxations.
Chishi, who was addressing the gathering as the special guest, defined it clearly that the ACAUT movement is not against any individual (s), factional group (s) or even the State government, but against unabated taxations and existing practice of corruption.
“Unlike the past, the factional groups are fighting for their personal gains today. The UG cadres own good houses and expensive cars, and it’s in the eye of the public,” Chishi said filled with emotions worrying about the future of the Nagas.
“For how long should we keep quite when things are not in order? So let us come together to set things right,” Chishi urged. He also pointed out that there are some unscrupulous traders among the business community who are side-partying with the UGs for their own selfish interests. And to this, the DCCI president said these corrupt businessmen shouldn’t be spared but be chased out citing they have fallen short of public trust.
Senior citizen and member ACAUT, Hekivi Chishi questioned the legitimacy of the underground factions when they are working for selfish interests.
“The UG groups are diluted and have misused the legitimacy the Nagas have bestowed upon them as national workers,” the social activist said feeling sorry for the broken and punctured Naga society.
“It’s just not right when over 40 unions are collecting tax in the name of national workers. And I once again question their legitimacy,” the senior citizen stated.
Young inspiring orator and member ACAUT, Tia Longchar made an ardent appeal to the Naga public not to sit at home but come out in the street to voice their grievances.
“We are fighting for the survival of our society,” he said while making a plea to the factional groups and the State government to listen to the inner voice of the people.
Earlier, the rally began with C Yanger Jamir, youth director, East Dimapur Ao Baptist Church, invoking God’s blessings.
Meanwhile, ACAUT has fervently appealed the general public to participate at the awareness rally on October 31 at City Tower junction at 9.30 am.
A press release received from the Council Headquarters of the GPRN states that at a meeting of the joint council meeting held at the Council Headquarters, Hebron dated the 28th of October, 2013, has decided to disallow the proposed rally on the 31st of October 2013 .
The release further stated that the rally organized by the so called ‘banned ACAUT’ is only to ‘malign the national cause in the name of unspecified, unabated taxation’. In this connection, the statement adds it has decided to initiate further necessary steps or measures to obstruct such anti national designs to murder the long struggle for the national cause.
The meeting, the release said concluded by also reaffirming the decisions of the Joint Council Meeting held on The 8th of October 2013, to ban the newly floated Nagaland Tribal Council (NTC) for its deliberate negation of the principle of the Naga Hoho and aspirations of the Nagas.
THE Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) along with all business frontal organisations have unanimously decided to fully support the initiative of Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT).
The decision follows a joint meeting on Monday, according to a release by DCCI president Hokivi Chishi.
As a sign of support towards this noble cause undertaken by ACAUT, the frontal business organisations also decided to down the shutters during the ACAUT rally on October 31. However, the shops will be reopened after the rally, the release said.
In this regard, the DCCI has appealed to all business organisations in Dimapur to not only close their establishments on October 31 till the rally is over but participate physically at the rally to be held at Clock Tower junction 9.30 am.
