Nagaland: Business body calls for indefinite shutdown of commercial establishments from Friday

The Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) urged the state government and law-enforcing agencies to take immediate steps to protect the business community 'before the situation spirals out of hand'.

Kohima: Angered over the unabated 'illegal taxation' by Naga underground groups, the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has resolved to launch an indefinite shutdown of all shops and business establishments in Dimapur district of Nagaland from Friday.

Dimapur is the commercial hub of Nagaland.

In a statement, the DCCI said that the decision has been taken as there is “no end in sight to the unabated multiple taxation, intimidation and summons” by the Naga Political Groups (NPGs) and that it be enforced until redressal of the grievances of the business community.

It urged the state government and law-enforcing agencies to take immediate steps to protect the business community 'before the situation spirals out of hand'.

It also requested all civil society organisations and the public to bear with the inconveniences due to the proposed indefinite shutdown and to lend their support for the interest and welfare of all citizens.

Some NPGs have gone so far as to bring their own MRP sticker machines to shops with the sole intention of implicating the shop owners, while another strategy is to plant illegal substances in shops to tarnish the reputation of the shops and penalise them with hefty fines, the DCCI said.

Many business houses are shifting to the neighbouring state, Assam, where the price of goods and materials is much cheaper, it claimed.

In the state capital, the Kohima Chamber of Commerce & Industries, has also declared a day-long shutdown of all businesses in solidarity with DCCI on Friday.

Meanwhile, various district chambers of commerce and industries, youth bodies and civil societies have come up in support of the DCCI’s decision for the indefinite shutdown.