CNCCI and DCCI called the shutdown to voice their resentment over the rampant ‘taxations’ imposed by the Naga Political Groups and state government agencies.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
The commercial hub of Nagaland, Dimapur, wore a deserted look on Thursday as all commercial activities remained suspended while goods vehicles entering Nagaland remained off the roads during the 12-hour state-wide business shutdown called by the Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce (CNCCI) and supported by all the business bodies across Nagaland.
Respective district units of the CNCCI including Dimapur and Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) called the shutdown to voice their resentment over the rampant illegal taxation imposed by the Naga Political Groups (NPGs) and State government agencies.
Addressing a joint press conference with DCCI officials on Thursday, CNCCI chairman, Khekugha Muru said the shutdown was total in all the 12 districts of the state. He added that the shutdown was called in protest against the “non-satisfactory” response from the state government to its demands that were submitted through a representation to the state chief secretary on September 9.
CNCCI in its representation had demanded an immediate solution to “multiple taxations” by the NPGs and also asked the government to remove all forms of taxes collected by civic bodies and the state government on items that comes under the GST regime.
Muru also warned of stepped up agitation across the state if the government failed to meet their
demands immediately while reminding that Thursday’s shutdown was only the first phase of their agitation.
On being asked whether the trade bodies offered any solution to resolve the multiple taxations on traders by the Naga political groups, Muru opined that early settlement of the Naga political issue can be one of the ways forward.
“We have no solution. That is why we asked the government to resolve it, he added.” Also adding that the business shutdown across the state was successful as all the public, civil societies and NGOs extended their support, the CNCCI chairman expressed gratitude to the state
government for trying to resolve the issue at the highest level. He however pointed out that any solution should not be Dimapur specific but applicable throughout Nagaland. “The CNCCI expects the state government to address the issue at the earliest”, he said.
DCCI president Akashe Zhimomi said “the business community cannot serve the 13 governments in the state”, in an obvious reference to the parallel governments run by the Naga political groups. He also informed that the shutdown was total in all the districts of the state and that there was no untoward incidents reported from any part of the state.
Akashe stressed that the government must streamline business in the state while clarifying whether or not the multiple taxations imposed by the Naga groups were legal or illegal. “If it is illegal, the government must take action against it,” Zhimomi stated. He also lamented that the government has not taken any concrete decision to tackle the multiple illegal taxation issue.
Across the state, volunteers were strategically stationed to ensure smooth and peaceful observance of the total business closure while functioning of government offices, banks, educational institutions, plying of government and private vehicles were not affected.
On September 13, the state government under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton at a meeting deliberated on developing a comprehensive strategy to deal with the complaints pertaining to Illegal taxation/extortion in Dimapur district.
In the meeting, it was discussed and decided that collection of any kind of tax/fees on items/goods that come under the GST regime will be immediately stopped by all the municipal and town councils across the state and certain other issues as mentioned in the representation submitted by CNCCI to the Nagaland chief secretary on September 9.
It asked Dimapur commissioner of police to immediately put in place a security grid and take other measures, including stationing sufficient security personnel at various locations, to check illegal taxation or extortion.
The government also asked the administrators of all the urban local bodies to take steps to include the representatives of the business communities of their cities/towns in their advisory committees for taking key decisions on business related activities.
It was also informed that the SARFEASI Act is under examination of the Select Committee of Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
Earlier, the government through the principal secretary (Home), had also appealed to the CNCCI to reconsider its call for state-wide closure of businesses and to extend support and cooperation to it in tackling the illegal taxation/extortion issue and also for assisting in further improving the ease of doing business in the State.
Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on September 14 has also termed the one-day business shut-down across the state in protest against rampant multiple and illegal taxation by Naga Political Groups (NPGs) and government agencies as a “grim reminder” of how the elected government has failed the people and the state.