R.N. Ravi, the Centre’s interlocutor for the Naga peace talks, was on Saturday appointed the Nagaland governor.

The framework agreement for the Naga peace accord, which was signed with the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) in 2015 with much fanfare, has not made any headway since then.

The negotiations have dragged long enough to test the patience of all parties, including the Naga people. The process has remained hazy and the government has not made public the details of the agreement since 2015.

Government sources said other responsibilities of Ravi, a former Kerala-cadre IPS officer, as interlocutor in Nagaland shall remain unchanged even after being appointed governor.

Ravi was handpicked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national security adviser Ajit Doval in 2014 as interlocutor.

He was chosen because of his 20 years’ experience in the Intelligence Bureau watching the Northeast.

A “framework agreement” was signed between the government and NSCN (I-M), the dominant Naga rebel group, at Modi’s official residence in August 2015 at a publicised ceremony.

In November 2017, the Centre signed a preamble with six Naga national political groups to hold discussions and find a permanent solution to the long-standing Naga issue.

Sources in the home ministry said although the negotiations were still on, the Centre so far had failed to get all factions of the group on the same page. “Ravi was expected to hammer out a time-bound settlement with Naga rebel groups. Despite several rounds of meetings with their representatives, he has not been able to bring the desired result. He is scheduled to meet all the rebel groups again to expedite the negotiation process,” a ministry official said.

Reactions

The appointment of Ravi has come a surprise to many in Nagaland. An NSCN (I-M) leader said, “Let’s hope for the best, not for the worst.”

When asked if his appointment would delay a solution to the Naga issue, Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio said he hoped it would send a good message to the people of Nagaland. “We are happy that he has been appointed the governor of Nagaland. Union home minister Amit Shah just conveyed it to me,” Rio said.

A Naga Hoho leader said Ravi’s appointment could be good for both the Nagas and the government of India as he is well conversant with the Naga issue.

A Nagaland Tribes Council leader said Ravi’s appointment came as a surprise.

Additional reporting by Bhadra Gogoi in Dimapur