Eminent personalities express concern over 'plot' to assassinate PM

Eminent personalities today voiced their concern over an alleged Maoist plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and emphasised the need to unite people against the forces trying to break the nation.

The Pune police yesterday said a letter found at the residence of a person arrested for his alleged Maoist links talks about the ultras planning a "Rajiv Gandhi-type incident" targeting Modi during one of his road shows.

Yoga guru Ramdev, artistes Sonal Mansingh and Malini Awasthi, and spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar expressed their concern on Twitter over the alleged plot.

"The plot to assassinate the Prime Minister of the largest democracy is a desperate attempt by anti-national elements to destabilise the country. This is not an attack on just an individual, but on the people of the entire nation. Let's stand united against such destructive forces," Ravi Shankar tweeted.

In a tweet in Hindi, Ramdev said he was "devastated" after learning about the plot and demanded the government to order a high-level inquiry into the revelation. He urged politicians to rise above party politics to help uncover the conspiracy.

"Today I am further alarmed to read about the evil plan hatched by 'Break India' forces to assassinate PM Modi using similar modus operandi as with Rajiv Gandhi. NaMo's total commitment to India is unmatched. May our prayers protect him (sic)," Mansingh tweeted.

She said the plot showed that conspiracies to destabilise the country were no more a "myth".

"Deep conspiracies to destabilise India in every possible way is no more a 'Myth'. Plot to assassinate PM Modi should be Wake Up call for all who know the good work done by the 24-7-365 hard working NaMo (sic)," she said in another tweet.

Popular folk singer Malini Awasthi called for crushing the evil elements scheming to assassinate Modi.

"Time to crush all such evil elements! Comrades scheming to assassinate Prime Minister @narendramodi just like #RajivGandhi !! And All these naxals r backed by International Mafiya. They fear a strong India,thats why they fear a strong PM @narendramodi who wont let them BreakIndia (sic)," she said.

The alleged letter was recovered by the police from the residence of Rona Wilson, who was among the five people arrested in connection with the Elgar Parishad held in Pune in December and the subsequent Bhima-Koregaon violence.