Ministers behaving badly…
… as in paying “taxes” to “militants”… or is it “protection money”?
If you ever wondered how bad the situation is in the North-East, look no further. Courtesy this news-report by Rahul Karmakar (HT)*: Ministers Too Pay Tax to Militants in North-East (emphasis mine):
It’s out in the open. Ministers in the Northeast do pay `taxes’ to militants. A top leader of a faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland has claimed while drawing a line between extortion and levies imposed by underground `governments’.
…”Yes, we collect taxes and there’s nothing illegal about it,” asserted Kughalu Mulatonu, leader of the Khaplang faction of the NSCN. “Our tax net covers farmers, traders, government employees and even ministers and MLAs. Like the Indian government, we also have to run a government and sustain an army.”
In adjoining Manipur, at least half a dozen outfits such as the Peoples’ Liberation Army and Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup collect tax from residents of Imphal Valley. This is over and above the tax that the government imposes. In government offices-police department included -the drawing and disbursing officers reportedly deduct the `tax’ from every employee’s salary before pay day and hand the cash over to the collection agents of each outfit every month…
If this is the case with elected leaders, you can well imagine the plight of the common people.
* Sadly no web-link to this story. I have no reason to doubt its veracity though. I have left a comment on Rahul’s blog to see if he has a link.
For those who are not aware, even Indian passport holders need an inner line permit (something like a visa) to visit Nagalad. Thats one of the reasons I could not visit Nagaland during my last visit to North East as I did not have the time to apply for it.
The official Nagaland Tourism website states:
“Entry Formalities: Inner line permit for Indian visitors and Restricted Area Permit for Foreigners.”
http://www.north-east-india.com/nagaland/
(Refer to the last line of the “Fact File” in the main body of the text)
Nagaland is a Christian majority state. 98% Christian. One of the main arguments that stems from their separatist ideology is that they are a christian state/nation and want to run the state according to the bible and not according to the secular Indian constitution. i.e. What good is a secular constitution when the state is 98% Christian ? Well, were are the people who say terrorism has no religion ??
The most prominent terrorist group: Nagaland Socialist Council promotes a strange mix of ideology : Mao’s socialism + Christianity. Kindly refer to KPS Gills website for further details.
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/nagaland/terrorist_outfits/Nscn_im.htm
This background info could have exposed the nexus of the church & the maoists in Kandhmaal, Orrisa too. But the press was, as usual busy proving that it is secular & liberal….
May I ask you to challenge the likes of Teesta Setalvaad. Araundhati Roy and Tehelka Journalists with these facts. Chase them on twitter, blogs emails etc. Even if they don’t respond they know that people are not dumb and they are being watched over their shoulders……
Also that I would like to see comments from Sanjeev Sablok on such issues. I think he knows North East India quite well having served there as an IAS. If he has already written something substantial on North East problem, I would like to read it.
Shantanu ji could you please request Sanjeev to comment or forward his writings on North East India….
Thanks for the links Amitabh…esp. KPS Gill’s article…you are right – such articles need to be circulated and disseminated more widely.
Btw, here is a telling excerpt from the article:
I will certianly email them to a few people I know.
And will also ask Sanjeev if he is willing to pen an article on the situation in the North-East.
In any case, I hope to get a first-hand feel for the situation on the ground when I travel there next year.
It is frightening to read what is hapenning in north-east india.We know, terrorosts also get financial support from missionaries ( Tripura for instance.) WE don’t see much news on north-east in Indian English media most of which are owned by missionaries or churches.One may wonder why these so-called religious organisations are in newspapers, unique in the world. They also own schools of journalism. If you write a letter expressing your view, they won’t publish it. Sadly, billion of Hindus are in deep slumber. It is hightime Hindus change their mindset.
Stephen Knapp’s page is there since few years
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/christian_terrorism_in_northeast_india.htm
Thanks for the link VoP. I was not aware of it.