In a move to intensify its ‘tax collection’ further, the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim(NSCN) faction led by its chairman SS Khaplang on Friday made it clear that the faction has every right to collect ‘tax’ as it is the legitimate revolutionary Government representing the Naga cause and said that it would award exemplary punishment to those who challenge the political authority of the group by not paying the tax.
The group, which calls itself as Government of Peoples Republic of Nagalim (GPRN), on Friday sent a statement to the media and said, “It is the inherent right of every Government of the world to impose and collect revenue and thus in Nagalim (read Nagaland), it is the Government of the Peoples’ Republic of Nagalim (GPRN) that has rights to implement taxation.”
It may be mentioned here that the NSCN faction had on March this year abrogated from a 14-year old ceasefire agreement with the Government of India. The outfit had intensified its attacks against the security forces in three States—Nagaland, Manipur and in Arunachal Pradesh and since then forcing the security forces to launch an operation against them. last month, the outfit ambushed a convoy of the Army at Chandel district in Manipur and killed 18 soldiers and injured 11 others.
“Naga’s right to decide their future is legitimate and as ancient, incorruptible and as real as they are with their land that is not disputable even as the Government of India finds no difficulty to accept the fact that the sustained and vexed conflict between the Union Government of India and the Naga is not domestic or law and order issue,” the statement issued by the outfit said on Friday adding that these truths stand witness to the conflict in the past, today and to the future till an honorable political treaty between the two separate political bodies takes place.
“As the legitimate revolutionary Government representing the Naga cause within and outside, NSCN has every rights to collect taxes within its territory. Such legitimacy is natural as the torch bearer of Naga political legacy, the people and its land and resources. It is an affront to the spirit of Naga nationalism, antagonism to the political movement to evade tax,” it said.
“Nobody shall take advantage of the volatile environment created by the adversary and their agents by evading taxation. From now on NSCN will pursue any such defaulter and execute accordingly,” it said adding that it is also equally criminal to involve in abetting tax evasion, instigating non-compliance and obstructing taxation.
“Therefore, any organisation, group or individual found indulging in challenging the political authority of NSCN/GPRN in any manner shall not be spared but given exemplarity punishment,” the statement warned.