Dimapur, November 10 (MExN): Following the Tokhu Emong upheaval, the Kyong community today issued a number of decrees against the 41 Assam Rifles posted at Wokha town, virtually censuring the force from associating with the Kyong public. Amongst the five points issued by apex Kyong organizations, include censuring the 41 AR from drawing water from Wokha town’s biggest and central water source ‘Etsu Chukha’; censuring the public from entering the AR camp and removal of the AR from the town.
A joint statement appended by the chief executives of the Kyong Hoho, Kyong Students’ Union, Kyong Eloe hoho and the Wokha Town Council was received here today. The 41 battalion of the Assam Rifles at Wokha town are to withdraw immediately. Relatively, it was also mentioned that the present location housing the force is in the heart of public-inhabited areas and should be shifted immediately. The resolutions also censured the AR from pumping water from Etsu Chuka while no public member is allowed to access the AR camp. Violation of this resolution shall be strictly viewed, the community said. Mention may be made here that the AR camp has a “canteen”, one of the town public’s most-accessed places in Wokha, where domestic goods and commodities are procured.
The Kyong community also censured the town’s public from procuring or “collecting” liquor from the AR camp. Any one found guilty of breach of this resolution shall be ‘strictly viewed’ the resolutions said.
The Kyong Hoho in the statement also gave a gist of the cause that led to the November 6 upheaval during the Tokhu Emong celebrations. According to the statement, a 41 AR jawan, identified as one Mahesh Singh, along with two local girls entered one Hotel Ni-Li. After consuming liquor, a room was demanded. Being refused a room, the jawan threatened the hotel’s manager and verbally abused him using vulgar and lewd language. In the meantime, the commotion enraged two local boys nearby, leading to a “rough scuffle” with the jawan. The following evening, jawan Mahesh Singh returned to the hotel with other jawans in three Maruti Gypsies, “in full operation mood”. The jawans then assaulted the manager and occupants of the hotel. On the 6th, the next day, the “very frustrated jawan” created the now-widely-publicized situation under the pretext of searching for underground workers.
Vehemently condemning the attitude and action of the Assam Rifles for defiling the Tokhu Emong festival, the Kyong apex bodies said, the fracas created by the force was also an insult to not only the Kyong community but also the minister and parliament secretary who were in attendance in the Tokhu Emong festivities.
Also, a separate note from the Kohima Kyong Hoho expressed condemnation for the incident. Creating such ‘emotions’ during traditional festivals should be condemned by all, the Kohima hoho stated. An assurance is made that all Kyong hohos under the Kyong Hoho shall cooperate in any future course of action to be taken.
