New Delhi: Controversy between R N Ravi, former IB sleuth-turned-Nagaland Governor and peace interlocutor, and the potent NSCN (IM) is nothing new.
In 2014 also during his appointment as the peace interlocutor, the potent group engaged in parleys with GoI since 1997 had red-flagged the appointment. However, the objections were brushed aside by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ravi was chosen for the challenging task of parleys with the Government by Modi's trusted lieutenant and 'Man for all seasons' Ajit Doval. In fact, PMO had overruled the recommendation of the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh and given the key assignment.
The Home Ministry had recommended the name of Ajit Lal, who had retired Chairman of Joint Intelligence Committee.
In 2014, the NSCN(IM) objections was in relation to Ravi's media articles and his radical views on the militant group which ran its writ in Manipur and Nagaland in late eighties and nineties. Ravi as IB official had served in the northeast and had his own 'perception' about the militant group - which had operational links with ULFA and other militant groups like NLFT and also had been doing hobnobbing with India's inimical forces like ISI of Pakistan.
In fact, even after the talk process had begun, Muivah was held in Bangkok in Thailand for 'possessing a fake' South Korean passport. He had reportedly traveled to Bangkok and of course - the high profile trial at Ratchadaphisek court had put a question mark on the fate of talks with the Indian government.
However, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ensured that the parleys do not get 'derailed'.
This certainly proves during his heydays, Muivah was a tough man!
With regard Ravi's 'radical views' it will be relevant to point out that in his write up - of course prior to his appointment as peace interlocutor/negotiator, Ravi had made veiled attack on the NSCN(IM).
“Over 1,800 Nagas have been killed in some 3,000 fratricidal clashes since the beginning of the ‘ceasefire’ (1997-2013). Contrast it with the violence during the 17 years preceding the ‘ceasefire’ (1980-96) that took a toll of some 940 Naga lives in 1,125 clashes mostly with the security forces.
The irony is underscored by the fact that while the security forces and the NSCN (I-M) have been at mutual ‘peace’ during the ‘ceasefire,’ twice as many Nagas have died, killing one another in some 300 per cent escalation in fratricidal violence.
The vector of violence has turned inward with a vengeance, from between the security forces and the Naga militias to the one among the Nagas themselves. Some in New Delhi gleefully chuckle at their remarkable feat of trapping the ‘belligerent’ Nagas in this vicious cycle of fratricidal killings.”
(available at various internet websites including 'North East Now')
Essentially, if one looks objectively, six years later Ravi's controversy with the NSCN(IM) leadership in circa 2020 is almost on similar lines.
In June this year, he wrote a strongly worded letter to incumbent Chief Minister Neiphio Rio and expressed concerns over extortion and such related issues.
The NSCN(IM) statement of August 11, 2020 testifies that: "Ravi also resorted to fear psychosis to pressurize the NSCN to submission. He organized military exercises over Naga areas using Indian Air force’s latest aircrafts, deployed heavy security forces with war tanks, directing all Nagaland state security forces to be in their respective stations with rations stock to last for at least two months and directing all state police Special Branch to identify and locate the NSCN members’ residents".
Of course, the ball has come back to the 'court' of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to a large extent even Home Minister Amit Shah's role is crucial. Unlike Rajnath Singh, who readily played second fiddle to the PMO, Shah has his own style of functioning.
Thus, NSA Ajit Doval and the PMO cannot have the last words 'without' taking the North Block into confidence.
This was clearly asserted in October 2019 when Shah ordered to keep things 'on hold' within minutes peace negotiators reached an agreement and Nagaland CM Rio and the Leader of the Opposition T R Zeliang also congratulated all stakeholders.
In a series of tweets, Nagaland Chief Minister Rio had said: "It (Oct 31, 2019) is a historic moment and an occasion of great joy for all Nagas and the nation as a whole".
The Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), a conglomerate of six underground groups from state of Nagaland, is keen for an earlier peace pact and is ready to ink the much awaited and 'delayed' peace deal irrespective of the fact other group(s) would come on board or otherwise.
Some analysts in Delhi feel the NNPGs is convinced that it is time to take a pragmatic stance.
"PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah took a tough stance in Jammu and Kashmir. After the developments in Kashmir vis-a-vis abrogation of Article 370 that gave 'autonomy' to the erstwhile J&K, it is unlikely that the same leadership can pander to NSCN(IM) demand for a separate Flag, Constitution or ‘shared sovereignty’.
The tough business-like thought process is reflected yet again.
ends
In 2014 also during his appointment as the peace interlocutor, the potent group engaged in parleys with GoI since 1997 had red-flagged the appointment. However, the objections were brushed aside by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ravi was chosen for the challenging task of parleys with the Government by Modi's trusted lieutenant and 'Man for all seasons' Ajit Doval. In fact, PMO had overruled the recommendation of the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh and given the key assignment.
 |
| Naga guerilla camp: Somewhere in Nagaland |
The Home Ministry had recommended the name of Ajit Lal, who had retired Chairman of Joint Intelligence Committee.
In 2014, the NSCN(IM) objections was in relation to Ravi's media articles and his radical views on the militant group which ran its writ in Manipur and Nagaland in late eighties and nineties. Ravi as IB official had served in the northeast and had his own 'perception' about the militant group - which had operational links with ULFA and other militant groups like NLFT and also had been doing hobnobbing with India's inimical forces like ISI of Pakistan.
In fact, even after the talk process had begun, Muivah was held in Bangkok in Thailand for 'possessing a fake' South Korean passport. He had reportedly traveled to Bangkok and of course - the high profile trial at Ratchadaphisek court had put a question mark on the fate of talks with the Indian government.
However, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ensured that the parleys do not get 'derailed'.
This certainly proves during his heydays, Muivah was a tough man!
With regard Ravi's 'radical views' it will be relevant to point out that in his write up - of course prior to his appointment as peace interlocutor/negotiator, Ravi had made veiled attack on the NSCN(IM).
“Over 1,800 Nagas have been killed in some 3,000 fratricidal clashes since the beginning of the ‘ceasefire’ (1997-2013). Contrast it with the violence during the 17 years preceding the ‘ceasefire’ (1980-96) that took a toll of some 940 Naga lives in 1,125 clashes mostly with the security forces.
The irony is underscored by the fact that while the security forces and the NSCN (I-M) have been at mutual ‘peace’ during the ‘ceasefire,’ twice as many Nagas have died, killing one another in some 300 per cent escalation in fratricidal violence.
The vector of violence has turned inward with a vengeance, from between the security forces and the Naga militias to the one among the Nagas themselves. Some in New Delhi gleefully chuckle at their remarkable feat of trapping the ‘belligerent’ Nagas in this vicious cycle of fratricidal killings.”
(available at various internet websites including 'North East Now')
Essentially, if one looks objectively, six years later Ravi's controversy with the NSCN(IM) leadership in circa 2020 is almost on similar lines.
In June this year, he wrote a strongly worded letter to incumbent Chief Minister Neiphio Rio and expressed concerns over extortion and such related issues.
The NSCN(IM) statement of August 11, 2020 testifies that: "Ravi also resorted to fear psychosis to pressurize the NSCN to submission. He organized military exercises over Naga areas using Indian Air force’s latest aircrafts, deployed heavy security forces with war tanks, directing all Nagaland state security forces to be in their respective stations with rations stock to last for at least two months and directing all state police Special Branch to identify and locate the NSCN members’ residents".
 |
| Guv Ravi at World War II Memorial, Kohima |
Thus, NSA Ajit Doval and the PMO cannot have the last words 'without' taking the North Block into confidence.
This was clearly asserted in October 2019 when Shah ordered to keep things 'on hold' within minutes peace negotiators reached an agreement and Nagaland CM Rio and the Leader of the Opposition T R Zeliang also congratulated all stakeholders.
In a series of tweets, Nagaland Chief Minister Rio had said: "It (Oct 31, 2019) is a historic moment and an occasion of great joy for all Nagas and the nation as a whole".
Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Y Patton tweeted: "I am elated and grateful to everyone for what we have achieved today after all the trying times. The inking of the solution, that respects our unique history, will bring a new and better dawn for the Indo-Naga future".
TR Zeliang of NPF had said: "The dream and desire of the Naga people for permanent peace and tranquility in our land will soon become a reality after positive outcome of today's meeting".
However, a clarification on the Naga settlement issue On 31 OCT, 2019 by PIB Delhisaid -It has come to notice of the Government that lots of rumours and misinformation is being spread in media including social media that final Naga settlement has been arrived at and will be announced soon. This is creating anxiety and concern in some parts of the country.
It is clarified that before any settlement is arrived at with Naga groups, all stakeholders including States of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh will be duly consulted and their concerns will be taken into consideration.
No credence needs to be given to such rumours and incorrect information."
Other players:
There are a number of other stakeholders too.
Lotha Hoho issued a statement opposing any move to replace Ravi as interlocutor.
“Is it not an attempt to derail the near-solution negotiation process? If we change the interlocutor it will be an attempt to undo all the 23 years of input into the negotiation on Naga political settlement and thus derail the process of settlement!
After 23 years of negotiation most stakeholders are in the podium and the process of negotiations has formally completed on the 31st October 2019. So as we are informed and so as we know, most competencies are finalised and the loose ends only are to be trimmed; and hence the long awaited Naga settlement is at the door.”
Some analysts in Delhi feel the NNPGs is convinced that it is time to take a pragmatic stance.
"PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah took a tough stance in Jammu and Kashmir. After the developments in Kashmir vis-a-vis abrogation of Article 370 that gave 'autonomy' to the erstwhile J&K, it is unlikely that the same leadership can pander to NSCN(IM) demand for a separate Flag, Constitution or ‘shared sovereignty’.
The tough business-like thought process is reflected yet again.
Sometime back at a function in Silchar in Assam, Governor Ravi had said: “What has happened in Jammu and Kashmir, the reorganisation of the state and region is essentially the correction of an old sin which was doing a lot of harm to us".
But it may not be all that easy and smooth as there are 'few thousands' of NSCN (IM) cadres and out of that a significant number would be perhaps in and around China and Myanmar to 'solicit' the strategic support as they did in the past.
ends
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