Dr Asangba Tzudir
Even as the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) called off the ‘indefinite shutter down’ agitation against multiple taxations on businesses, Nagaland’s DGP Rupin Sharma said during a press conference in the capital, “Start trusting Nagaland police, start trusting us.” This is a very strong message which also seems to convey a lot of intentions in the light of the multiple taxations that has for long plagued businesses.
While the message is clear, trust is something which cannot be built overnight and it takes time to build relationships and thereby trust. There is also a saying that goes, ‘trust everyone but not the devil inside’, and in a climate of environment where speaking the truth and trust is an issue, then it will be easier to enter the eye of a needle than to trust someone enough to speak the truth.
Now, the DGP says that the civilians/business establishments not willing to come forward to raise their complaints “hinders the action which police department can take”, while also citing the fear factor, and adding that the identity of the person giving information will be kept a secret. He also cited that situation of the past 6 months where almost 85% to 95% of the cases which have been registered by Dimapur Police regarding the extortion are suo moto cases “which means there is no complaint per se but the police has initiated actions against the criminals.”
As a start towards trusting the police, the police too needs to be fully empowered from the lowest ranking to the highest, and that truth and truth telling and the acts of truth needs to be upholded and practiced to the utmost possible so that the process of trust can be build between the civilians and the business establishments and the police. It is not simply a matter of protection assurance given to informants.
What is really important here is for the police to create avenues and incentives where the civilians can also feel secure, also for the services they provide to the civilians, and which is something the general public really look up to. This will go a long way in building trust and also for the public to come out of their dogmatic slumber, often awakened by shutter down calls which serves as a reminder.
Also, the nexus of operation between the businesses and the multiple taxation ‘system’ and how it works also needs to be thoroughly understood. The condition has so normalized to such an extent that reporting becomes a difficult proposition, or ‘thought unnecessary’ while shifting the importance to stocking up rations during window openings.
No doubt, the message of the Nagaland DGP has come with a sensible gesture and a move to help them in setting things right the current situation of multiple taxation. But the Police department also has to do some sort of ‘setting things right’ within, in order for greater trust building from the public at large.
(Dr Asangba Tzudir writes a weekly guest editorial for The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
