The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) lashed out at newly appointed Nagaland governor RN Ravi accusing him (Ravi) of being ‘capricious and bossy’ in the last round of formal talks.
Ravi is also the Centre’s interlocutor to the peace talk between NSCN (IM) and the government.
The NSCN (IM) in the editorial of the latest issue of ‘Nagalim Voice’, the monthly news bulletin of the outfit, said that appointment of Ravi as the new governor has taken everyone by surprise.
With Ravi now set to play the dual role, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advised him to finalise the Indo-Naga talks within a few months based on the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015.
“However, in the first formal talk after many months, it became a matter of discomfort for NSCN negotiators led by Chief Negotiator Th. Muivah when the Government of India started turning capricious and bossy as reflected by the body language of Ravi,” said the editorial titled ‘Bemusing Appointment.’
“What is now alarming is the machination which may follow in the guise of doing the groundwork to bring about a final settlement,” the editorial further said.
Given the changing mood of the Government, the outfit said it will have to take guarded stand to protect the sanctity of the historic Framework Agreement “because any dilution may fail to bring settlement that is honorable and acceptable”.
Ravi, the former deputy national security advisor, took oath as the governor of Nagaland on August 1 at the Raj Bhavan in Kohima.
The outfit also said that with Modi led BJP Government storming to power, Indo-Naga political talks were brought back to life amidst anxious speculations.
“But, what has taken everyone by surprise was the appointment of India’s Interlocutor to the Indo-Naga political talks, Mr. RN Ravi as the Governor of Nagaland. Giving a new dimension to the Indo-Naga talks is the dual role Ravi has been assigned to play – Interlocutor plus Governor,” it added.