'Plot to Kill' PM Modi: Rajnath Says Maoist Threat Hollow, Opposition Smells Ploy to Garner Sympathy

Jammu: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security was the top priority of the government after Pune police claimed it had uncovered a Maoist plot to assassinate him.

"We are always serious about the prime minister's security. The Maoists are fighting a losing battle. They are now active only in 10 districts in the country," he told a press conference, adding that the assassination ploy was a hollow threat.

The police in Pune told a court on Friday that they had seized a "letter" from the Delhi residence of one of the five people arrested on Wednesday for having alleged "links" with the banned CPI (Maoist). The purported letter mentioned of a plan to "assassinate" Modi in "another Rajiv Gandhi-type incident", the police told the court.

Although the letter doesn't explicitly state that the plan is to assassinate Modi, the implication was clear. Besides referring to Rajiv Gandhi's killing, it speaks of "comrades" who "proposed concrete steps to end Modi-raj", and says "targeting his road shows could be an effective strategy."

The Congress, however, raised doubts over the Pune police’s findings and said such stories are always planted when the PM’s popularity takes a hit.

“I am not saying this is completely untrue but it has been PM Modi’s old tactic since he was chief minister. Whenever his popularity declines, news of an assassination plot is planted. So it should be probed how much truth is in it this time,” Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal’S vice-president Shivanand Tiwari also called the alleged Maoist threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi a planted story to garner sympathy votes. "Maoist threat to PM is a planted story to garner sympathy votes as PM's graph is declining fast," he said.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, on the other hand, said it was better for the court the veracity of the alleged assassination plot. “We should wait for the court to probe the email and reveal the truth. We have several security agencies in our country. Let our ministers look into the security.”