Maoist plan to assassinate Modi hollow threat: Rajnath

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security was the top priority of the government and a reported Maoist plan to assassinate him was a hollow threat.

"Security of the Prime Minister is the top priority. Maoists are fighting a lost battle. Maoist insurgency has considerably come down," the Home Minister said.

"At present, the Maoist insurgency affects just 10 districts and it will end soon as has been done in the Northeast where insurgent violence has been contained and brought down by 85 per cent."

The Pune police on Thursday told a court that they have seized a letter seized from a suspected Maoist revealing how they panned to assassinate Modi in a "Rajiv Gandhi-like incident".

The letter was recovered after five activists were arrested on Wednesday for links with the banned CPI-Maoist. They included Dalit activist Sudhir Dhawale, lawyer Surendra Gadling, activists Mahesh Raut and Shoma Sen and Rona Wilson.

--IANS

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