Dimapur, June 24 (EMN): The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (Acaut) has sympathised and extended solidarity with the business community who are faced with unchecked extortion.
“Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has timely brought to the notice of the public and the government about the forceful imposing and collection of taxes by some of the NPGs. The business community are reeling under several economic losses due to worldwide pandemic crisis and the ‘item-wise’ taxation is the last straw that will break the camel’s back,” an update from Acaut stated.
Acaut recounted how rampant taxation has ruined the investment of business and has indirectly made the public suffer the most. Affirming that Acaut always stood on the principle of “one government, one tax,” it stated that every tax forcefully imposed by ‘UGs is not acceptable.’
As the state government is engrossed with day-to-day issues relating to Covid-19, Acaut pointed out that law and order has become the first casualty. It alleged that rampant extortion and multiple taxation are happening right under the nose of the authority even at the police check-gates.
“The tempo towards a political settlement seems to have lost its steam and the bent-up frustrations and failed aspirations has negative offshoots in the form of forceful collection and unabated taxation. With a weak economy turning sick in a stagnant economy of our state, that it will only breed more parasites especially with scores of thousands young returnees and the state already under deep financial crisis,” Acaut stated.
It cautioned that there would always be ‘new factions popping up’ and fighting over taxation turf and supremacy, which would again start the vicious cycle of fratricide and take the state back to dark age once again, if the government of the day do not take the taxation menace by its horn once and for all.
