‘Do not earn through illegal means’

Staff Reporter DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 31 The Commissioner of Excise, V Maria Yanthan on Saturday reprimanded her staff – especially those who are engaged in field duties – for their reported indulgence in illegal collection of money at various check points across the state. While speaking at the annual general conference of Nagaland state Excise field staff association here today in Dimapur, Yanthan cited “recent newspaper reports” of illegal taxation by Excise personnel at certain check gates. “Do not earn through illegal means,” she said. Yanthan warned that she would spare none if any of the Excise staff are caught collecting money illegally, anywhere. Besides the unlawful aspect to it, she said that such activities also shame the family and the community of the offenders. Cultivating such integrity would also help them implement the dry law in its totality, she reasoned. According to Yanthan, the performance of the Excise department in implementing Prohibition in the state thus far is not satisfactory. “As long as Prohibition is there we will perform our duty. You have to improve and know that even a constable can stop a VIP vehicle and check,” she shared. Regardless of pressure from the public and the “higher ups”, Yanthan said, the Excise personnel should perform their duty – to enforce Prohibition for as long as the dry law exists in the state. She also reminded the staff that employee unions or associations are deeply rooted in communist ideology of equality and welfare. And that, if the unions or the associations fail to achieve the goals of equality and common welfare, such meetings or conference would be rendered useless. This however doesn’t mean that they should engage in activities that are contradictory to framed guidelines and policies of the government, she said. “First and foremost, you are a government servant. Your decisions and actions should be complementary and not contradictory to the service conduct rules.” She also encouraged the Excise personnel to not lose conviction due to the department’s poor infrastructure. “Prohibition has delivered us with an enormous responsibility,” she reminded.