Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday hit out at opposition parties for doubting the genuineness of a letter suggesting a Naxal plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Republican Party of India (A) president, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government, further said the Opposition should not “play politics over the issue of national security”.
“There are many issues you can politicise like demonetisation or the Goods and Services Tax… But the Opposition should not politicise this issue as it is related to national security. They ought to stand by him instead,” said Mr. Athawale, speaking in Jalna district.
He was reacting to remarks made by some Opposition leaders on a letter allegedly recovered from one of the five activists recently arrested by the Pune police in a multi-city swoop. The arrests were made for their purported linkages with top Naxal leaders, the ‘Elgaar Parishad’ and the Bhima-Koregaon clashes.
The purported letter allegedly mentions a plot to “assassinate” Modi in “another Rajiv Gandhi-type incident”, the police had submitted before a Pune court.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar had questioned the authenticity of the letter, while stating the BJP was merely playing a ‘threat letter card' to gain sympathy before the 2019 elections. Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram too has questioned the letter's veracity.
The RPI leader said the Pune police could not have arrested the five activists unless there was some “definite evidence” of them having links with the Naxal movement.
However, he refuted suggestions that the ‘Elgaar Parishad’ held in Pune’s Shaniwarwada Fort on the eve of the Bhima-Koregaon clashes had any link with the riots of January 1.
'Prohibit Bhide's meetings'
Mr. Athawale also demanded a ban on Hindutva leader ‘Guruji’ Sambhaji Bhide's meetings.
“He is making ludicrous statements that actively aid in disseminating blind faith. His comments about mangoes helping barren couples bear sons should be investigated as per the law,” he said.
Mr. Athawale said he would be meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to seek a prohibition on Mr. Bhide’s public addresses.
“Even in the past, his [Bhide’s] remarks have only sought to aggravate social tension. After the Bhima-Koregaon clashes, only Ambedkarites have been at the receiving end while no action has been forthcoming against persons like Bhide,” Mr. Athalwale told The Hindu .
