SHILLONG: Former chairman of ANVC-B Bernard N Marak has asked the government to stop the ‘goonda tax’ in Garo Hills.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Marak said ANVC-B had signed a peace pact in Garo Hills to lead a normal life, but recently, pressure groups GSU, ADE, FKJGP and AYWO attacked the GLR pharmaceuticals run by him.
Marak alleged that the pressure groups had resorted to the culture of imposing ‘goonda tax’.
Around 1pm on May 1, the four pressure groups and some students from Tura Government College and NEHU ransacked his firm, assaulted his partner and took away the hard disk of his computer and lakhs of rupees, Marak said.
“This is the real picture of Tura, lawlessness and ‘gundagiri’. Tura looked like a peaceful town but end of militancy only paved way for local goons to rise,” he added.
Asserting that people of Tura, especially the business community, are victims of the ‘goonda tax’ menace, the former rebel said, “Gundagiri is on a rise and personally I feel this should end.
There should not be another attack or assault or daylight robbery in Tura. Assaulting a helpless non-Garo businessman does not help a Garo society and Garos do not approve of violence.”
According to Marak, the NGOs have no right to take law in their hands and that more persons involved in the attack will be identified and their names will be added to the list in the FIR that has already been filed.
According to Marak, prices of vegetables, fruits, eggs, dry fish and other items have doubled as shop owners have to pay hefty amount every month to the goons.
“I am determined to make Tura a peaceful town. This can be achieved only when administration and the public work together against the evils in the society. There should not be another attack on anyone like they did to my firm,” he said.
