Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 27:
Shops in Mayang Imphal Bazar today downed their shutters in protest against exorbitant monetary demands made by an underground group.
The shopkeepers also a staged a sit-in-protest session at the market place urging all the underground organisations not to impose hefty taxes on them since their business is on the brink of collapsing and they are operating only in the evening.
Talking to mediapersons, the protestors informed that the proscribed outfit KYKL had sent a letter seeking monetary demands indirectly through a staff of a Government agency.
According to reports, the monetary demands varying from Rs 5000 to Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 in accordance to the size of the business were issued to 93 shops out of 110 business establishments in Mayang Imphal Bazar.
The hapless shopowners informed that the amount demanded are beyond their means.
Previously, the unofficial taxes levied by various UG groups were small and any large amounts were served to individuals only.
Calling for waiver of the monetary demands, the shop-owners have expressed their wishes to adopt a wait and watch policy.