Rampant Extortion Persistent In Nagaland: Governor RN Ravi

Nagaland Governor RN Ravi, in his Republic day speech, once again attacked the armed rebel groups and a section of the government, accusing them of being in a nexus, adding that it was the cause of state's underdevelopment.

"The menace of rampant extortion, under the guise of illegal taxation by anti-social elements, has not yet been fully curbed despite best efforts by the police and security forces. It has created a sense of fear among businesses and entrepreneurs which severely undermines the economy and growth of the state," Mr Ravi said on Tuesday.

He called it the "unrealistic intransigence of some people, unwilling to forsake the politics by gun", adding that there is no space for politics by gun and those who believe in such a politics shall always remain outliers in a democracy.

Last June, In a letter to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Mr Ravi, who is also the interlocutor for peace talks with NSCN(IM) - the rebel group that is holding peace talks with the government -- had said armed gangs were brazenly running their own governments in the state challenging the legitimacy of its elected authority and creating a "crisis of confidence" in the system.

"In a democracy, there is ample space for resolution of differences through peaceful dialogue. However, there is no space for politics by gun. Those who believe in such a politics shall always remain outliers in a democracy. The primary stakeholders have made their positions abundantly clear that the era of guns must end without further delay, and long-lasting peace must be restored," Mr Ravi had said.

They have made it clear that unresolved issues, if any, be pursued through dialogue post-settlement, he added.

Last year, the crucial Naga peace talks that are in very advanced stage hit a deadlock on the contentious issue of a separate flag and Constitution for the Nagas. While the NSNC(IM) is pressing for these to be a part of the deal, the Centre has said it won't budge on it.

The NSCN(IM), engaged in peace negotiations with the Centre, had signed a Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find a permanent solution to the Naga political problem.

The framework agreement came after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 18 years, with the first breakthrough made in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed after decades of insurgency in Nagaland starting soon after India's independence in 1947.