The strained ties between the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) running the Nagaland government and governor R.N. Ravi have resurfaced.
The PDA adopted a resolution on Thursday evening saying Ravi’s “negative” observation about the state in his Independence Day speech has “not been well received by the people”.
After a meeting in state capital Kohima, the PDA, comprising the NDPP, BJP and Independent members, adopted four resolutions, one of which said that it was “compelled to voice the feelings of people” over Ravi’s message.
The last para of the PDA statement said the alliance has “taken note of the people’s concern” on the contents of Ravi’s Independence Day message wherein “negative observation” was made against Nagaland.
“The PDA observes that the speech has not been well received by the people. Though Nagaland may not be the best performing state, we are making every effort to take the state forward on all development fronts. As representatives of the people, the PDA is compelled to voice the feelings of the people,” the statement said.
The PDA statement was signed by state BJP president Temjen Imna Along and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) president Chingwang Konyak. Imna is also a minister in the Neiphiu Rio (NDPP)-led coalition government.
The ruling alliance’s reaction, sources said, is a reflection of the governor’s strained ties with the state government.
Ravi’s ties with the NSCN (I-M), too, nosedived to such an extent that the outfit has sought his removal. The Centre has tasked senior Intelligence Bureau officials with keeping the talks going.
In his Independence Day message on Saturday, Ravi had said that “waves of positive change and growth seem to have been bypassing” the state because of a “deeply entrenched network” of vested interests that has “misappropriated” the dividends of peace and did not allow them to reach the people.
Ravi also pointed out how Nagaland has earned the “dubious distinction” of the “worst-performing” state in the country on almost all the “significant” indicators of human development, including education, investment climate, agriculture and horticulture, despite the security forces and Naga armed groups being in ceasefire.
“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,” Ravi had said.
This is the second time that the ruling dispensation has not agreed with Ravi’s observation. In a June 16 letter to Rio, Ravi had criticised the “grim law and order” in the state and how “armed gangs” were indulging in “rampant extortion” with the government virtually looking the other way.
However, the state government, in a detailed rejoinder, said Ravi’s observations “do not appear to be factual” while the NSCN (I-M) had taken offence to the “armed gangs” reference, asserting that they “levy taxes” but have never indulged in extortion.
The Rio government had also said that its move to profile government personnel having links with underground outfits was being carried out on the direction of Ravi. The move was widely criticised.
Apart from voicing people’s concern over Ravi’s message, the PDA statement also touched upon the floundering peace process by welcoming the Centre’s initiatives to resume the Indo-Naga political dialogue.
The ruling alliance has also requested the Opposition Naga People’s Front to rejoin the Joint Legislators Forum (JLF) in the “greater interest” of Naga society and for lasting and genuine peace.
The NPF had quit the JLF on Tuesday, alleging that the forum had been rendered “ineffective” by the Neiphiu Rio government. It was formed to facilitate the peace process.
