The Maoists have been collecting Rs 2 to Rs 10 per kg on herbs, Rs 20 per cubic feet of raisin, and Rs 40 per cubic feet on sal wood, a wood entrepreneur said. [break]
"We can´t protest," a businessman said on condition of anonymity. "We are forced to pay donations. We face threats when we refuse to pay them." He said that he borrowed money to give to the Maoists after they threatened him.
Maoist cadres had seized a truck of local herb trader Madan Nath for three days for not paying taxes. Nath got his truck back after he agreed to pay Rs 2 per kg.
"They seize our goods if we don´t pay the tax," another businessman said. "Maoists have been collecting Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 on herbs and wood collected from government and community forests on a daily basis."
Other political parties have accused the Maoists of running a parallel government in the villages besides collecting donations in the headquarters.
Raghubar Bhatta, Dadeldhura president of Nepali Congress said, "It´s not right for the Maoists to work against the peace agreement. The Maoists should immediately stop collecting taxes."
Meanwhile, Dadeldhura in-charge of UCPN (Maoist) Bharat Dhanuk said that it was not his party´s policy to collect donation in the name of tax.
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