The Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has threatened to call an indefinite shutter-down if the unabated multiple taxation, intimidation and summons of businessmen were not stopped immediately.
In a statement, the trade body said it had taken serious note of the fact that of late some groups were summoning businessmen and traders to their camps and offices on a daily basis under threat.
DCCI asserted that the harassment meted out to the business community in Dimapur by various Naga national political groups in the form of multiple taxation and summon letters had reached such an extent that businessmen and traders dreaded to face each day. It said the will to survive in the competitive market was waning among the business community as the little profit they made through hard labour was being snatched away at gunpoint, leaving many households in tears.
Wondering how long business community would be able to tolerate such summons and threats, the DCCI demanded that the state government and law enforcing agencies should take immediate steps to protect the business community before the situation spiralled out of hand. It also directed the business community not to entertain any call or summon to visit offices of different NNPGs without its knowledge.
Further, the DCCI requested civil society organisations and public at large to bear with the inconvenience in case of a possible indefinite shutter-down and to support the genuine cause of the business community.
In a statement issued on January 30 this year, DCCI had said that the issue of multiple taxation was discussed at the general meeting of DCCI with all its affiliated members at Hotel Saramati on January 27, 2024.
DCCI said that despite highlighting the issue, they were yet to receive any positive response either from the district administration or the state government leaving Dimapur to be “infested by this multiple taxation virus.”
The house also observed that there should be a healthy competition in the business environment and not syndicate system, which was corrupting the whole business community mostly affecting educated unemployed youth. DCCI affirmed to take action against those running illegal businesses even if they were bona fide members of DCCI.
It may also be mentioned that on December 1, 2023, the DCCI and Chümoukedima Chamber of Commerce and Trade Association (CCCTA) at a joint meeting threatened to down shutters if the concerned authorities failed to take action against illegal taxation by Naga political groups.
DCCI and CCCTA had also stated that the Naga political groups, besides issuing summon letters to agencies and business establishments to come to their monitoring cells/designated offices, were also conducting random raids and checking of MRP and expired goods etc.