Nagalim imbroglio has live passed more than two generation now, but when we look back in time we see a wrinkled face and shaking hands seeking the same age old question viz ‘Where is the Solution?’ to which I look around and sadly have to say ‘Nowhere’. So here comes the real question, have we travelled so long and so far that we lost our way in between? Have we lost focus on aim we started with? And finally is this a solution or an illusion.
The whole state and society has been so engrossed and obsessed with the process of working and waiting for the elusive solution that it cannot see the reality closer to them. There have been occasions over six decades when the solution seemed very close but due to some reasons could not be materialized. The journey started with one strong ideology to seek one solution but somewhere down the line the focus dwindled and the thirst of power led to creation of new groups and the ideology witnessed splits within. Now there are number of stakeholder with diverse aim. But can they do so at the expense of the general aspirations of the people of Nagaland. The common man is saturated to the brim waiting for the endless talks to finally culminate into peace.
The common man of Nagaland wants to break free from the constant fear of ‘The Unknown. He wants early solution on Naga Peace Agreement in a definitive timeframe without picking sides and more importantly, he wants peace to prevail over anything else in Nagaland. A common man wants to see his state developing, flourishing, rising and making a mark worldwide.
The stakes are high and the reputation of Nagaland is at risk. The tussle between the government authorities and Negotiating parties of Nagaland peace agreement is adversely affecting the development of the state. Corruption has become a way of life. Nagas have long witnessed infestation of its society and institutions by corruption. No big investors are ready to invest in the state, due to which the common people of Nagaland are deprived of basic facilities like education, medical etc. Central funds and schemes that come to Nagaland are deducted from top to bottom. It exists from Pension to Scholarship, Mid-Day meal to VDB funds, MGNREGA to the Funds meant for Differently Abled Persons.
Extortion, or ‘taxes’ as it is said in local parlance, that a number of NPGs indulge in has not benefitted Nagaland in any ways. Illegal taxation and collection is a multi-crore business and the most profitable industry in Nagaland. The annual turnover of the illegal taxation and collection activities in Dimapur comes to staggering Rs 400-500 crores. Every commodity is taxed multiple times, right from transportation to storage to the point of sale. The burden of taxation is added to the price of every product that a common man buys. So who are the victims? They are the common Nagas groaning under the weight of multiple and illegal taxations. Almost every employed or semi-employed Naga, whether working for the State Government or the private organisations, has to lose almost 50 per cent of their income to these outfits, though they have been exempted by the Union Government from paying any income tax. Even Government departments reportedly pay the extortionists on a regular basis.
So the question still remains, do we not need a ‘solution’ to overcome these. Are we living as a society under illusion that corruption will go once ‘solution’ comes? It’s time we realised our follies and stand up as a society against these. While we constantly use the phrase ‘outsiders’ it time the insiders stop the menace of corruption and taxation which will eventually destroy us and our dreams of ‘solution’.
M. Philip Pienyu, Kohima