IMPHAL, September 21 (NNN): The Southern Tangkhul Students’ Union (TAKL) or Southern Tangkhul Students Union while issuing a strong worded statement against the NSCN-IM on the murder of Jonathan Kashung, has called for a 48 hour `Tangkhul area` bandh in condemnation against the killing.
TAKL said it vehemently condemned the brutal killing of former Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) president Jonathan Kashung son of (L) Shanteihui Kashung of Shingkap village after his abduction on September 13 by NSCN –IM.
“The highly decomposed body was traced on the morning of the scheduled election, after repeated assurance by the abductors that he would be released safely. The family and his supporters were compelled to withdraw his candidature even after his dead, despite qualifying the screening. The manner in which he was killed and abandoned in the wilderness to rot by the NSCN (IM) is an extremely inhuman and heinous act. The NSCN (IM) which has been engaging in a peace talk with the government of India for the last 17 years is never expected to commit such a senseless crime against its own people, defeating its purpose of ushering peace and political solution”, it said.
According to the Tangkhul students` body, Jonathan was a front-runner presidential candidate of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) election scheduled for September 18.
“Killing a veteran public leader like Jonathan Kashung who has rendered selfless service to the Naga society, without any trial, sends a very terrorizing message to the public,” the TAKL said.
TAKL then appealed to the `chief election commissioner`, Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) to countermand and re-notify a fresh TNL Election 2013 since the candidature of (L) Jonathan Kashung had been duly approved after screening following all required formalities.
“As a mark of public condemnation against such heinous crime, there will be a total bandh in Tangkhul inhabited area on September 24 and 25. TAKL appeals to all the Tangkhuls to extend their support and cooperation in condemning such injustice.