Nagaland government acts to curb extortion amid protests by business bodies

Mokokchung, 26 April (MTNews): The Nagaland state government has issued a stern directive to tackle the rampant illegal taxation imposed upon the business communities, particularly in Dimapur, by various Naga Political Groups (NPGs), causing significant distress to businesses. This may be seen as a move in response to the ongoing protests by the state’s business bodies.

The Home Department of the Government of Nagaland on Thursday directed the Director General of Police and the Commissioner, Nagaland, to take “stringent measures to check the menace of harassment of the business community by anti-social elements.”

Stating that such activities reflect adversely on the law enforcing agency as well as on the State Government, the Home Commissioner said that action initiated in this regard may be intimated to the Government at the earliest.

Maintaining that the State Government has issued numerous instructions in the past to check these kinds of activities, the Home Commissioner reiterated that instructions given to the District Administration and the Police are to be enforced in letter and spirit.

The DGP and the Commissioner were also instructed to request the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) to “lift the proposed indefinite shutter down.”

It may be mentioned here that the DCCI has from Friday, 26 April, imposed an indefinite shutter down protest in Dimapur against unabated taxation, extortion and harassment by the various Naga Political Groups (NPGs) on the business community.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) have joined the protest and have called for a statewide indefinite shutter down protest across Nagaland as there has been no positive response from the State government in addressing the concerns raised by the business community.

ALSO READ: Nagaland business body announces statewide indefinite shutter down from 27 April

The key points highlighted for compliance as communicated by the Home Commissioner include:

1. The Ceasefire Ground Rules should be effectively implemented and punitive actions should be taken against any violations. Matter should be brought to the knowledge of Chairman, Ceasefire Monitoring Group/Ceasefire Supervisory Board for appropriate action.

2. The State Government has always held the view that any collection by the various Underground Groups are illegal and tantamount to extortion. Accordingly, the police have been making continuous arrests of UG Cadres who are found extorting/collecting taxes and detaining such culprits under NSA. This exercise should be continued without any let up.

3. The Commissioner of Police should increase police patrolling in market areas and business locations. IRB may be deployed to instill confidence among the public.

4. Business shops may be advised to keep CCTV in their locations.

5. Police should check the movement of antisocial elements with more surveillance through CCTV, security cameras in the market areas.

6. Special cell be formed by the Commissioner of Police to exclusively deal with extortion cases/incidents.

No response from Government: DCCI

President of the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), Akashe K Zhimomi told Mokokchung Times that the state government has not made any response as yet. “We have not received any call nor any response from the government yet,” he said, adding that they would continue with the indefinite shutter down protest as long as their demands are not met.