Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) on Friday said it would totally support statement made by Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) stating that “never did the Nagas at any point of time gave their endorsement to any particular group or faction to collect tax or to solve Naga issue except the Plebiscite of 1951 under the aegis of NNC and said that any solution should be inclusive of all groups and content of the Framework acceptable to all sections of the Nagas”.
CNTC in a press note said it further condemned the threat on ACAUT and the people of Wokha by NSCN (I-M) on taxation issue and also the claims made by NSCN (I-M) that it had the right to collect taxes from the people.
Pointing out that the common people have been overburdened by taxation demands from various groups in the name of nationalism, CNTC maintained that the endurance of Naga people was now ebbing away. “Patience has been more than once tested time and again which is going to blow up at any moment if corrective and restrictive measures are not taken at the earliest”, it said.
In the name of nationalism besides collecting taxes, CNTC said people rather have questions to ask the NPGs—“what have the NPGs contributed to the society so far? Roads, schools, hospitals?”
Posing a blunt question before the NPGs, CNTC asked “if such another referendum as the historic Plebiscite of 1951 is held again. Where would our NPGs stand today?
It said that the NPGs should learn from their bitter experiences of the past of what had happened in Mokokchung and Mukalimi, “when the wrath of the public could no longer be held back and stopped by any forces which were ignited due to the continuous misbehavior against the people’s sentiments and wishes of the Naga public”.
CNTC further stated that NPGs should know very clearly that without the people’s support they will never survive. “If they continue to irk the public by issuing threats, summons and warnings the writing on the walls are very obvious that Nagaland will witness more bloodshed in the days to come”, CNTC said.
It said that when all the Naga people were united against the curse and menace of taxation, CNTC wondered as to “why others apex bodies like Naga Hoho, NSF, NMA are all silent when the common people have sacrificed on the altar of these NPGs greed for such a long time?
The council further asked the apex bodies “whether they have any pity for the common men’s plight? And whether they could stand up for the rights and justice for the people?” All these issues and injustices, CNTC said had been going around right before their eyes, but observed silently.
“Does the right to collect taxes in the name of nationalism ends up acquiring crores of money, palatial buildings, luxurious cars, controlling all businesses, deducting salaries by snatching away hard earned money through the honest sweat of the brow of the people?”, CNTC questioned.
CNTC voiced out to the NPGs by saying– “feel and understand the pulse of the common people and right the wrongs before things go out of control”.
It went on to say that “no revolutionary organization, however much powerful and dictatorial they are, can never survive without the support of the people”. CNTC felt that it was the right time to listen to the grumblings of the people and not to take them for granted as if they know nothing.
The council noted that there has been a wide contradiction between the perspective of the past national worker and the present national workers.
It said that a national movement must be in the interest of the people concern and should be equally beneficial to all. However, the issue has now end up in making the common masses dry to the bone by extorting at gun –point while making some stinking rich at the expense of the common masses, CNTC added.
CNTC also advised the NPGs “not to bite the hand that feeds them in their sheer arrogance and pride”. Else, CNTC said if people are forced, “it surely will have reversal of implications”.
In this regard, CNTC said the voice of the people should not be misinterpreted rather it must be respected.
In support of ACAUT’s ‘One Government One Tax’, as desired by all Nagas, CNTC felt that leaders of various organizations should also reciprocate the appeal without any delay. “Throughout the history all over the world, revolutions and uprisings have happened due to taxation imposed forcefully upon the subjects. It will be worth mentioning that ‘people who make a peaceful revolution impossible make a violent one Impossible’ If NPGs does not listen to the voice of Naga People then whom can we say are they fighting for?”, CNTC stated.
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