‘One government one tax’ cannot be achieved without Indo-Naga settlement — ACAUT

Dimapur, Aug. 3 (EMN): The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland has stated that the public outcry of “one government one tax” as an antidote to unabated taxation in the state cannot be completely fulfilled until the government of India expedite the Indo-Naga political settlement.

A statement issued by ACAUT, on Wednesday, said it was part of the Core Committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations (CCNTHCO) along with political parties and Naga political groups that firmly stood for “solution before election” in 2018.

“ Lately there has been a welcome surge of rising public movement in the form of Solidarity walk, the proposed holding of ENPO’s public rally for statehood and the Nagaland People’s Action Committee (NPAC) purposed public rally for early settlement of Indo-Naga peace talk.  ACAUT has been holding steadfast to the public declarations of October 31, 2013,” read the statement.

ACAUT said the then BJP in-charge of Northeast, Ram Madav, had mooted “election for solution” and went ahead with the election, “so now the ball is in the court of the BJP”.

“The public of Nagaland cannot be taken for a ride anymore, it is now the right time for the citizens to prove their support to any genuine movement or organisation that take the responsibility for demanding early political settlement. It is also time for all the 60 members of 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly forming the opposition-less United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to resign en masse to prove their sincerity in paving the way for solution before the coming election,” it stated.

 The organisation said that in its New Year press release, it had suggested a public discussion of the “Agreed positions” and the “competencies” through the apex tribal hohos.

“The completion of 25 years of ceasefire without producing any tangible solution and its continuation will defeat the very purpose of the hard earned ceasefire and may turn out to be a double edge sword for all. The outcry of the general public is ‘enough is enough’ of chronic unabated taxation by twelve different Naga political groups that have made the daily life of every citizens miserable and unbearable,”  it said.

ACAUT further stated that the Naga public wants an early political settlement without compromising the Naga historical truth and rights, so that the present generation will not be caught in a “doldrum of hopelessness”.

It also appealed to all citizens to participate in the public rally to be held at the Supermarket, Dimapur on August 5 to demand an honourable Indo-Naga political settlement from the government of India without further delay and to send the message of solidarity.

NPAC asks GOI to deliver on promise

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Nagaland Public Action Committee (NPAC) stated that it would work towards an early Naga political solution, while anticipating the support of the tribal hohos, civil society organisations and the parliamentary committee of Nagaland towards this common cause.

‘We urge the GOI to demonstrate its political will to deliver what they had promised time and again’, it said.

NPAC further added that the public rally on August 5 was in tune with the four-point resolution adopted by the parliamentary committee on July 16 and asked all concerned to support the public rally in letter and in spirit.