NCD reaffirms ‘One government, one tax’ public resolution in Dimapur

DIMAPUR — The Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) has reiterated its commitment to the public resolution ‘One government, one tax’ adopted on Oct. 31, 2013, urging all Naga national political groups, organisations, and individuals to respect and honour this resolution.

In a press release on Tuesday, the NCD said, ‘One government, one tax’ literally implies that only one Naga national political government will levy single tax on the public or business community.

However, it has been observed that “multiple impositions, intimidations and collections of forceful coercive taxation particularly from businessmen/communities have been on the rise in recent months by multiple Naga political groups.”

The NCD reminded that all the civil society organisations, and business communities including non-tribal organisations based in Dimapur, had held several rounds of consultative meetings and reaffirmed the public resolution.

However, different Naga national political groups or individuals have turned a deaf ear to repeated fervent appeals by the NCD and various organisations on the menace of multiple taxation, it said.

Pointing out that it has become absolutely impossible for the business or public to pay multiple taxes to “countless” Naga political groups and organisations, the NCD asked the business community and public to immediately report any instance of such taxation to the appropriate authorities, for stringent action as per law of the land.

The council also noted the recent press statement issued by the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) that it would resort to indefinite closure of all business establishments in Dimapur if multiple taxation was not stopped immediately.

It opined that “confronting each other on any issue in terms of organising bandhs or rallies should be avoided,” and said that the NCD never encourages any association or organisation to call for indefinite bandh or closure of establishment and institutions in Dimapur city, unless the situation becomes extremely necessary.

However, against the backdrop of “unbearable unabated multiple taxation,” it said the NCD and all the CSOs will be compelled to initiate appropriate steps to safeguard the welfare of the citizens, unless necessary steps are taken by various Naga political groups, organisations and the state government.

The council appealed to the Naga national political groups to respect and honour the public resolution, saying that respecting the resolution is respecting the sentiment of the citizens.

“Further, NCD also once again appeals to the Government of India  and the negotiating groups to resolve Naga political imbroglio at the earliest as it is the very root cause of multiple taxation,” the council said.