Sankhuwasabha, November 10:

People of three wards of Sabhapokhari VDC of this district have accused the Maoists of imposing tax on the sale of cardamom. The taxation has been going on for a month, the affected said. The farmers have also accused the Maoists of visiting their places seeking cardamom.

The villagers have told the Maoists in clear terms that they will opt for protests if the former rebels continue to act as taxmen.

“Maoist area secretary Lokman Bogati and Biswas of the YCL have threaten to take action against the villagers if they do not not provide them with cardamom,” said Ganga Prasad Rai of Sabbhapokhari-7. The farmers claimed that the Maoists had been seeking anywhere between 400 and 600 kg of cardamom from each farmer.

Earlier, the villagers had chased away cardamom-seeking Maoists. Following this incident, the Maoists issued a diktat, calling some farmers, including Ganga Prasad, to produce themselves at their office, the villagers said.

Farmers of wards no 7, 8 and 9 of the VDC said they will retaliate if the Maoists continued to seek cardamom from them.

Among others, the Maoists had sought a cut from cardamom farmers, including Harka Bahadur Rai, Bharatman Limbu, Uttar Kumar Limbu, Naspate Limbu and Kaji Limbu, farmers said.

“The Maoists used to seek cardamom every day and impose tax in the sale of cardamom, saying they had debts to pay,” said Uttar Kumar Limbu, a farmer. “They have stopped the act after we warned them of retaliation.”

However, the Maoists said they were demanding cardamom from fields, which were under their control. A district member of the CPN (Maoist), Dibya Baral, said he was unaware of the entire episode. He promised to acquire information on the matter.