Intercepts of internal communication between Maoist rebels have revealed a plot to assassinate Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his frequent roadshows.
This comes after the Pune Police raided the Bhimrao Koregaon violence case accused’s house, recovering a letter detailing the assassination attempt in a similar fashion to that of Rajiv Gandhi. The letter was recovered from Rona Wilson’s laptop.
The letter says that the ‘Modi led Hindu fascist regime is bulldozing its way into the lives of indigenous Adivasis…..We are thinking along the lines of another Rajiv Gandhi incident…..Targeting his roadshows could be an effective strategy.’ The letter also states that defeating Hindu fascism has been a core agenda of the party for a long time and that they have been ‘working’ with representatives and organizations across the country.
Pro-Maoist activist Swami Agnivesh, in an interview with Republic TV stated that the letter needed to be verified by the Supreme Court before any ‘action could be taken’. “The letter is addressed to Comrade Prakash and is signed as R. The letter is typed and can mean anything else. It is necessary to verify its authentication before taking any action,” he said.
Bhimrao Koregaon is a place where people gather to mark the anniversary of the British-Peshwa war every year on January 1. During its customary celebrations, an alteraction resulted in violence leading to the death of one person and the injury of four others. The violence spread rapidly to four nearby villages. Following the event, five people were arrested in connection with the incident.
In relation to the letter, Congress has expressed its doubts over its authenticity, stating that it might just be one of PM Modi’s ‘old tactics’.
“I am not saying this is completely untrue but it has been PM Modi’s old tactic, since he was CM, whenever his popularity declines, news of an assassination plot is planted. So it should be probed how much truth is in it this time,” Sanjay Nirupam said.
