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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\nRN Ravi<\/span><\/p>\n GUWAHATI: The BJP-backed Nagaland government has categorically rejected governor RN Ravi\u2019s assessment that the law and order situation of the state is \u201cgrim\u201d and has \u201ccollapsed\u201d saying that his finding \u201cdoes not appear to be factual.\u201d
\u201cThe overall law and order situation in the state continues to be normal and peaceful. All the wings of the law and order machinery of the state are working effectively in tandem to ensure a peaceful atmosphere in the state. From time to time, however, there have been occasions when antisocial and unruly elements at certain places have made attempts to vitiate the situation by trying to impose illegal taxes and carry out extortions, and the state police has been all along very proactive in dealing with such cases,\u201d the government said.
\u201cThere was time in Nagaland when it was difficult to celebrate national days like Independence Day and the Republic Day peacefully in the state. Today, we not only celebrate these national days but also the Annual State Day on a grand scale with enthusiastic participation of the people from all walks of life,\u201d the government said in support of its claims that the law and order situation is normal in the state.
It further said, \u201cThe improvement in the security environment of the state is also evident from the increased arrival of tourists during the Hornbill Festival which touched a record of 55,000 last year. Today, Nagaland is already home to one of the biggest music festivals of the country namely, Hornbill International Music Festival and the state government is making all out efforts to ensure that Nagaland remains the music capital of the country and emerges as one of the most important centers of music in the ASEAN region.\u201d
The state government also disagreed with the use of word, \u201carmed gangs\u201d running a parallel government by Ravi in his assessment. Ravi did not identify the armed gangs but it was clear that pointed his fingers at various insurgent groups with whom the centre is engaged in a peace process with Ravi himself being the in interlocutor.
The state government stated, \u201cThe Central Government is in a ceasefire agreement with the Naga national political groups for more than two decades and the talks are reported to have concluded in October 2019 and accordingly the people are expecting an early political solution. The state government feels that terming the organizations as \u201carmed gangs\u201d may not be in the interest of the peace process and may not be congenial to the achievement of lasting peace which is the desire of both the GoI and the state government.\u201d
The state government\u2019s issued the statement through the state directorate of information and public relation as a reply to Ravi\u2019s official letter to chief minister Neiphiu Rio on June 16 where he had said that \u201cThe constitutionally established state government is being challenged on day- to-day basis by the armed gangs who question the sovereignty and integrity of the nation, while the instruments of law and order remain totally unresponsive. In such a backdrop, I can no longer abstain from my constitutional obligations for law and order in the state under Article 371 A (1) (b) of the Constitution of India.\u201d
The state government put itself on a collision course with Raj Bhawan with its reply in public domain. “The state government is of the view that the assessment of the law and order being precarious and grim and having deteriorated and collapsed since August 2019 does not appear to be factual,\u201d the state government statement said.
In a reply to Ravi deciding to invoke Article. 371 (A) (1) (b) the state government stated, \u201cThis procedure of taking approval of Honorable Governor for transfer and posting of senior government officials was done away with after a Resolution adopted by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on 17th December 2013. Ever since the curtains have fallen on this issue and Nagaland has come at par with other states in this respect. The state government is of the view that any decision to put the clock back in contravention of such a Resolution in the guise of discharging special responsibilities under Art. 371 (A) (1) (b) would be against the principles of democracy and would be viewed as anti-people and we must not roll back the state to the era of 1960s, the period of formation of Nagaland state.\u201d
Copy of Ravi\u2019s letter surfaced in media nine days later, which created resentment among the insurgent groups with whom Ravi has been holding peace dialogue as Centre\u2019s interlocutor besides his gubernatorial responsibilities.
Ravi had in his letter to Rio pointed that \u201cdozen organized armed gangs\u201d are \u201cbrazenly running their respective so-called governments, challenging the legitimacy of the state government without any resistance from the law and order machinery has created a crisis of confidence in the system,\u201d and committing \u201crampant extortions and violence.\u201d
The state government in this context stated that it is of \u201cthe view that with the signing of the 2015 Framework agreement and the conclusion of the negotiations on 31st Oct 2019, the issue of sustenance of the political organisations should have been discussed and resolved.\u201d
NSCN (IM) and the other seven groups, who call themselves, Naga National Political Groups, earlier said that they were not committing extortion but collecting \u2018legitimate taxes\u201d and taking contributions by people. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n