Nagaland governor R.N. Ravi in his Independence Day speech said “waves” of positive change and growth seem to have been “bypassing” the state because a “deeply entrenched network” of vested interests has “misappropriated” the dividends of peace and did not allow them to reach the people.

While lauding the government, the community and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for tackling the pandemic, Ravi used the opportunity to highlight Nagaland’s shortcomings — how it has today earned the “dubious distinction” of the “worst-performing” state on almost all the “significant” indicators of “human development” .

“Ironically, relative decline is more obvious during the recent decades. When the security forces and the Naga armed groups agreed to suspend operations against each other paving the way for political settlement, the legitimate expectation of the people of Nagaland was dividends of peace — freedom from fear of guns, better health, better education, better infrastructure, better livelihood opportunities, an atmosphere to dream and an eco-system to pursue their dreams,” Ravi said.

“Incongruously, a deeply entrenched network of vested interests has emerged during the period which has misappropriated the dividends of peace and did not allow them to reach the people. There is mass scale mayhem and miscarriage of dreams and expectations of the people of Nagaland. It is unendurable and unacceptable,” he said.

This is the second time, since his June 16 letter to incumbent chief minister Neiphiu Rio, that Ravi has raised questions about governance and government in Nagaland despite a ceasefire between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (IM) since 1997. Seven other groups under the Naga National Political Groups are also part of the ongoing peace process.

Ravi’s letter criticised the government, highlighting issues “grim law and order” and “armed gangs” indulging in “rampant extortion” with government virtually looking the other way.

The state government had said that Ravi’s observations “do not appear to be factual” while the NSCN(IM) had taken offence to the “armed gangs” reference while asserting they “levy taxes” on people and have never indulged in extortion.

The letter had strained ties between him and the NSCN(IM) to such an extent that the outfit had urged the Centre to replace him as the interlocutor for the ongoing peace process. This time, Ravi has been careful and subtle with his choice of words without “diluting” the message he wanted to convey about governance since the ceasefire, Nagaland watchers said.