Comments on Modi assassination plot lowest level of insensitivity says BJP
The BJP has said that the various remarks mocking the assassination plot against Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the lowest point of insensitivity and politics. The comments come on the backdrop of the various political parties including the Shiv Sena questioning the veracity of the plot.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar alleged the BJP was playing the "threat letter card" to gain sympathy.
The
comments
came
against
the
backdrop
of
a
claim
by
Maharashtra
police
that
Maoists
were
plotting
assassination
of
the
prime
minister
and
Chief
Minister
Devendra
Fadnavis.
The
police,
after
arresting
five
people
with
alleged
Maoist
links
last
week,
had
said
that
a
letter
was
seized
from
the
house
of
one
of
them
in
which
there
was
a
suggestion
about
assassinating
PM
Modi
in
"Rajiv
Gandhi-type
incident".
"The plot to assassinate them (PM Modi and Fadnavis) seems mysterious and the story of a horror film," said an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamna'.
Quoting contents of the purported Maoist letter, the editorial said, "Modi has succeeded in forming governments in 15 states. If this continues, the organisation will be in trouble. And thus, Modi should be eliminated. All this was revealed by the police, which seems laughable."
It said the issue is being milked for political purpose, adding, "this conspiracy does not seem to be legitimate, is what being said by the experts."
The Shiv Sena said PM Modi's security is as strong as Mossad (Israel's intelligence agency) and it is virtually impossible for anybody to penetrate it.
Earlier, Pawar raised doubts over the veracity of the threat letter.
"The BJP has realised that they are losing the popular support. In order to gain sympathy, the BJP is now playing the threat letter card. However, I am sure that the people will not fall prey to such tactics," he said at a function in Pune on Monday.
"I have spoken to a senior retired police officer who told me that when such letters come they do not go to media but to the security agencies which make sure that adequate security measures are taken," the former chief minister said.
Fadnavis hit out at Pawar, saying he was not expected to "stoop to this level". In a tweet in Marathi, Fadnavis said that "Pawar ji should play politics of the nation and not politics of hatred."
Questioning the veracity of the threat letter seized by police, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said it is "unverified", and noted that it was government's duty to provide foolproof protection and security to the prime minister.
"I do not think you should take all these unverified letters as though they are official documents. Such letters will float about," Chidambaram told reporters when asked about the threat letter.
"It is the business of the government to offer and provide complete protection to the Prime Minister of India...So let the Government take whatever measures it has to take to provide complete foolproof protection and security of the prime minister. We are all interested in the security of the PM of India," the former union home minister told reporters in Delhi.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar said everybody should have condemned such an attempt, more so as India has lost two prime ministers to violence.
"People
are
still
not
sensitive,"
the
BJP
leader
said
at
a
news
conference
in
Delhi.
Javadekar
said
instead
of
questioning
those
who
wrote
the
letter
opposition
parties
were
questioning
as
to
how
it
came
to
the
fore.
"This is the lowest point of insensitivity and politics".
Home Minister Rajnath Singh held the high-level meeting in which National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Director Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain were present to review the security in the wake of inputs about threat to PM Modi's life.