Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 29
General (retired) Niki Sumi, President, NSCN-K (Niki) held that it would be mistaken to put the blame entirely on the Naga Political Groups (NPGs) for the protest by the business community. Sumi told a press conference in Dimapur, on April 29, that the demand of the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) was unwise and their approach, wrong.
His comment came in the backdrop of a statewide ‘shutter-down’ agitation by the business community against multiple taxations, which was called off on April 29, following assurances from the state government.
The protest began on April 26 after it was initially announced as a Dimapur-centric indefinite agitation by the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI). It took the shape of a statewide agitation finding support from other district chambers of commerce and the Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
According to him, the business community resenting taxation by the Naga Political Groups (NPGs) was unjustified. “Business unions or the DCCI is not above the Naga issue,” he held.
Sumi did not directly say it was legitimate for the NPGs to collect tax but he maintained that there are only three recognised NPGs. As opposed to the claims that there are 24 NPGs, he said that there only three— NSCN-K, NSCN (IM) and Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups (WC, NNPGs).
He held that while fingers get pointed at the NPGs, there are also others, including state government agencies/departments and unions claiming to be for welfare.
Questioning the logic behind the protest, he said, “Why are they targeting the NPGs? It is a wrong demand and wrong approach. Why, because the national issue is not the priority of the DCCI. I only see ignorance in their approach.”
While the issue is with the Government of India and NPGs, he wondered as to why the business body was seeking answers from the state government.
“We talk of promoting Naga entrepreneurs but in most cases, most Nagas are entrepreneurs only in name,” he said, while adding that many businesses are run by non-Nagas using Naga names as a front.
