Kohima/New Delhi, September 23 (IANS): The Government has accepted the resignation of Ravindra Narayan Ravi, the interlocutor for the Naga peace process, officials said here on Thursday.
A senior official of the Nagaland government on condition of anonymity said that Ravi on Wednesday wrote to the Union Home Ministry requesting the government to relinquish him as it was “inconvenient” for him to discharge his duty as the Interlocutor after taking charge as the Governor of Tamil Nadu.
Ravi, who was governor of Nagaland and on September 9 transferred to Tamil Nadu, where he took the gubernatorial post on Saturday.
Ravi, a former Intelligence Bureau (IB) official, has been transferred to Tamil Nadu and relieved from the responsibility of interlocutor at a time when his relation with the NSCN (IM) turned very sour on various crucial issues.
Meanwhile, after over a year, crucial meetings between the Government of India’s envoy and the Naga outfits began in Kohima on Monday to settle the long-pending Naga political issue, involving various groups, including the NSCN (IM).
In another development, assigned by the Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday rushed to Dimapur and held meetings with the NSCN (IM) leaders, his Nagaland counterpart Neiphiu Rio, leaders of various political parties, Naga groups and senior government officials to take forward the much-debated Naga peace talks.
Officials said that Sarma, who is also the Convener of the pro-BJP front North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), held meetings with former special director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Central government representative AK Mishra and the General Secretary of the NSCN (IM) Thuingaleng Muivah.
For the first time in the Naga peace talks, the Assam Chief Minister has been involved in the discussions.
The opposition Congress in Assam has raised questions over the Assam Chief Minister’s involvement in the Naga peace talks and said that the state’s interest may be compromised in the long run.
