Testicle-Free Tax Collection
Dancing and singing [tag]eunuchs[/tag] are knocking on doors in an Indian city in an attempt to embarrass merchants into paying their taxes. And the new shock strategy, in which sari-clad and heavily made up eunuchs accompany officials on their rounds of crowded shopping areas in a country notorious for tax evasion and non-payment, has been declared a success.
The boisterous eunuchs loudly demand that mortified shopkeepers pay up — to the bemusement of scores of onlookers. Those unwilling to pay faced lewd dances, lifted saris, and abuse. “Some paid in cash, while others quickly wrote checks. The shock therapy, which we plan to use sparingly, was a grand success,” said Atul Prasad, a top official in the area where the tactic is being used.
“People may be afraid of them, but they are very much part of society and are useful,” Prasad said, adding that authorities would pay the eunuchs a four percent commission on the total tax collected.
Eunuchs are still common in India, where they live in closed-knit communities. Some are castrated men but others are [tag]transsexuals[/tag] and [tag]hermaphrodites[/tag] who have been ostracized by their families. Also known as hijras, they are widely feared and move around towns and cities in groups and demand money on occasions such as marriage or the birth of a child. They are believed to have occult powers.
