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Nagaland Governor, NSCN (IM) in war of words on ‘taxation’ by armed group
In a statement aimed at the NSCN (IM), Nagaland governor RN Ravi said forcible collection of money by any entity is extortion which is a criminal offence punishable under the laws
Kohima: The government of India’s interlocutor for Naga peace talks, RN Ravi and the Isak-Muivah-led National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) are in the middle of a war of words on the armed group’s right to collect money from people.
The trigger was a claim by the NSCN (IM) that representatives of the government of India who engage in political dialogue with NSCN leaders recognise their right to collect taxes from its citizens and this was a legitimate right of any government.
The statement provoked Nagaland governor RN Ravi, who is also the Centre’s interlocutor for the peace talks, to fact check the armed group. Without naming the organisation on Tuesday, Ravi said the statement was “erroneous” and one that is likely to cause confusion among the people.
“Taxation is a sovereign function which can be exercised only either by the government of India or the state government,” Ravi stated, adding that the government does not recognise any such right by any other entity.
“Forcible collection of money by any entity is extortion which is a criminal offence punishable under the laws. In fact all the Naga armed organisations engaged in the peace process have given a commitment against such collection,” Ravi maintained.
The NSCN (IM) hit back at Ravi on Wednesday, claiming that Ravi was trying to criminalise the Naga political movement by questioning the right of the NSCN to impose its tax after more than 23 years of Indo-Naga political dialogue.
“NSCN puts on record to go back to history to point out that taxation is something which is deeply rooted in the history of the Naga resistance movement even before the Naga National Council (NNC) came into the scene. Now the focus has been shifted to the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) which is at the helm of affairs leading the Naga political struggle. As brought about by the 23 years of Indo-Naga political talks, the Nagas’ stand for sovereign existence is before the world domain and not a question of obscurity,” the NSCN (IM) stated.
The statement said the group collected taxes to support the Naga people’s political movement which started in 1929, even before India got independence from the British, and opposing the Naga tax is nothing short of obstructing the Naga movement. It asserted though that the organisation stands opposed to extortions and excesses committed by collectors.
The NSCN (IM) also claimed that the government opposing taxations by the organisation instantly violates the “framework agreement” signed between them in 2015 wherein the two entities stated to have agreed to coexist peacefully as two different entities sharing sovereign power.
“Following the signing of the Framework Agreement of the 3rd August, 2015, this taxation was included in the competencies. No one can deny these factual records of the Framework Agreement and the competencies,” the NSCN (IM) stated.
The Naga peace deal is yet to be finalised as critical issues are waiting to be considered from the perspective of the “framework agreement”.
