New Delhi: “Glorious, nonconformist IPS officer”, a inflexible interlocutor, an “interferer” to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and a “BJP state chief” in Raj Bhawan — R.N. Ravi has earned many monikers, some accolades for his lengthy profession within the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and a heap criticism for his two-year stint because the Governor in Nagaland, between 2019 and 2021 and now, as Tamil Nadu Governor.
From being referred to as the interlocutor who tried “dividing” Naga rebel teams in Nagaland, to changing into a Governor with a political axe to grind, Ravi is right this moment essentially the most talked-about occupant of a Raj Bhawan.
Now the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Ravi triggered an argument this month, when he instructed that the state ought to be known as ‘Tamzihagam’. Whereas Tamil Nadu initially means Tamil ‘land’, now additionally learn as ‘Tamil nation’, ‘Tamizhagam’, means the ‘abode’ or ‘land’ of the Tamil individuals and was the title of the traditional Tamil nation.
He additionally neglected parts of the speech authorized by the M.Okay. Stalin-led authorities for his meeting handle and walked out earlier than proceedings had been over. He adopted it up with one other provocation, sending Pongal invites with out the state emblem and calling himself the governor of Tamizhagam. Requires the Governor’s recall have been gaining power.
Publish retirement from IB in 2012, Ravi in an opinion piece printed in The Hindu, had criticised the UPA II authorities for its efforts in bringing Naga rebel group NSCN (IM) to the dialogue desk to provoke the peace course of. Within the article titled ‘Chasing a chimeric peace’ Ravi had additionally focused then Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, branding their efforts as nothing however “drama”.
“The current demonstrations of aggressive eagerness by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Nagaland’s legislators to assist the “peace” purportedly being cooked between Delhi and the NSCN (IM) had been nothing however drama,” Ravi had written. He had accused the Rio authorities of backing NSCN (IM), which provoked fierce backlash by different Naga “militias” leading to “bloody clashes”.
“Mr. Rio got here to energy and his authorities grew to become a proxy for the Authorities of the Folks’s Republic of Nagalim (GPRN), of which Mr. Muivah (Naga separatist chief Thuingaleng Muivah) is the self-styled ‘prime minister’. Many instances it grew to become troublesome to find out who dominated the State — Mr. Rio or Mr. Muivah.” Ravi concluded by stating that it was “inconceivable” to get “peace” from the dialogue between NSCN (IM) and the Union authorities.
“It’s inconceivable to count on a sustainable peace from the continuing course of between Delhi and the NSCN (IM). An endeavour for peace that excludes essential stakeholders is a travesty,” that is the final line Ravi wrote in a bit in The Hindu in November 2012.
Two years later, in 2014, he was made an interlocutor in Nagaland by the Modi authorities and in 2015 , Ravi introduced Thuingaleng Muivah of NSCN to the dialogue desk. He’s broadly seen because the architect of the Framework Settlement (FA) between the Union Authorities and the Nationwide Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) to finalise the Naga Peace Accord in 2015. The signing of the framework settlement was a much-hyped occasion with even Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending it.
In 2018, Rio was re-elected Chief Minister, however Ravi continued as interlocutor and a yr later, the Modi authorities appointed him Governor of the state. Frequent confrontations between Rio and Ravi ensued. In 2020, R. N. Ravi wrote a letter to CM Rio, alleging the ‘legislation and order’ had collapsed within the state, which precipitated a conflict between each the excessive places of work, stated a senior chief of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Get together (NDPP) — Rio’s occasion — who doesn’t wish to be quoted.
In 2021, purportedly upset with Ravi’s face-offs with an elected authorities and his failure to make any progress within the peace deal, Ravi was shunted out to the Chennai Raj Bhawan. His brushes with the elected authorities of Tamil Nadu have solely intensified in frequency and scale.
A 1976 batch IPS officer of Kerala cadre, who loved the patronage of nationwide safety adviser Ajit Doval, Ravi was referred to as a activity grasp, and an officer who’s “aggressive” in strategy. Nonetheless, officers and politicians who labored with him instantly are divided over his temperament. NDPP leaders near Rio stated Ravi remained a bureaucrat and was unable to handle the “delicate points associated to individuals and politics”.
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Conflicts proceed
Fifteen months after being made Governor of Tamil Nadu, Ravi continues to make headlines, selecting one combat a day with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led authorities within the state.
ThePrint spoke to Ravi’s friends, his colleagues and seniors within the IPS circle, a lot of whom known as the Tamil Nadu Governor a “pragmatic” officer with an aggressive outlook.
- Okay. Hormis Tharakan, who retired because the RAW chief and a senior to Ravi in Kerala cadre, remembered him as a positive officer who managed to carry down the speed of political violence in Kerala’s most turbulent district Kannur.
“The Ravi I Knew was an excellent officer with no political inclination or bias. He was mentored and groomed by our most interesting, M.Okay. Joseph (former DGP of Kerala ). Ravi was extra SP of Kannur and the way he actively introduced the violence down there was a matter of debate. Then he rose in ranks and was promoted because the SP there,” he stated.
He additionally identified that Ravi was the one who made a headway within the Naga talks.
“He is called the North East specialist within the IPS circle. He was doing so properly. Nonetheless, being an interlocutor and a Governor on the similar time, might actually make issues difficult. Speaking to the rebel teams as an interlocutor and executing them as Governor are two various things and it’s complicated,” stated Tharakan.
‘An excessive amount of energy’
Whereas his colleagues lauded him as a police officer, many expressed their reservation about his function because the Governor of Nagaland.
“An excessive amount of energy corrupts. Two years after retirement, he grew to become very near the Modi authorities. He was made the chairperson of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), the nodal company that advises the Prime Minister on nationwide and worldwide safety points, after which the interlocutor for the Naga peace discuss in 2014. 4 years later in 2018, he was made deputy nationwide safety advisor (NSA) and a yr later in 2019, he was appointed Governor of Nagaland,” stated a retired IPS officer who labored with Ravi.
The retired officer added: “One can see the trajectory, it’s an excessive amount of energy vested with an individual. The concept of appointing the interlocutor because the Governor seemed flawed.
A senior minister in Nagaland cupboard who didn’t wish to be named, stated the appointment created a conflict of pursuits.
“The state authorities in Nagaland is a coalition of NDA and native NDPP. BJP all the time wished an higher hand and Ravi was performing like a spoiler. He understands the Naga tribes, the factions, inside conflicts and weaknesses of the NDPP. He began meddling with the Chief Minister routinely and within the course of, he created a large number. Antagonising Muivah was a nasty thought,” the minister added.
NDPP politicians instructed ThePrint that the previous Governor interfered within the common means of administration and governance, and at last “embarrassed” the Centre by his antics.
“There have been many variations between the Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister throughout his tenure. He began interfering into the federal government functioning and opposing many authorities choices publicly. He additionally alleged that the federal government joined fingers with the NSCN (IM),” claimed Alemtemshi Jamir, NDPP working president.
Didn’t implement Naga peace accord
Ravi, who’s initially from Patna, Bihar, labored in Kerala for the preliminary years of his service as he joined as a Kerala cadre officer. He joined the IB as a younger officer, labored throughout areas together with J&Okay, north-eastern states and Naxal-affected areas. He additionally served as joint director of IB and posted in Guwahati for a very long time..
After retirement in 2012, for 2 years, Ravi didn’t maintain any place within the authorities, however his contribution to curbing insurgency within the northeast and his contribution to the intelligence unit had been well-known.
In 2014, after PM Modi assumed workplace, Ravi was appointed interlocutor for the Naga peace course of and Ajit Lal, his senior in IB after which interlocutor, was eliminated. In 2018, he had additionally been made the deputy NSA, and in 2019 he was appointed Governor of Nagaland. Nonetheless, he continued as interlocutor. Ravi served because the Naga peace discuss interlocutor for seven years earlier than resigning in September 2021.
“He’s the primary one that managed to carry all stakeholders to the desk and initiated the peace discuss in 2015, however within the subsequent seven years, the peace accord couldn’t be carried out. And it’s a mess now. We as seniors have all the time identified him as an environment friendly officer,” stated Vappala Balachandran, former particular secretary, cupboard secretariat, and a nationwide safety knowledgeable
His fallout with Thuingaleng Muivah of NSCN over the disagreements associated to the clauses of the peace accord, introduced him into NSCN’s crosshairs. The peace accord couldn’t be formalised and carried out.
Amitabh Mathur, a 1977 batch IPS officer, who retired as deputy director of RAW stated, “R N Ravi has all the time been mentioned as an in a position and environment friendly officer, who initiated the peace course of, and introduced so many underground Naga outfits to the dialogue desk. However after seven to eight years of debate, the treaty is but to be carried out.”
Whereas his tenure in Tamil Nadu guarantees to be as controversial, the RSS-BJP unit within the state has supported his views.
“We don’t see something fallacious within the Governor ‘s assertion (on the state’s title). He didn’t say that it ought to be carried out proper now, he solely gave his opinion or one might name it his suggestion, of calling the state as Tamizhagam,” stated Tamil Nadu BJP state unit president, professor P. Kanagasabapathi.
Kanagasabapathi added: “Despite the fact that BJP or RSS by no means talked about it formally, this has been an historic utilization. Tamil Nation or Tamil Nadu is misused by the separatist parts and inspired by the DMK. This controversy has been fueled by the DMK for his or her vested political curiosity.”
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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