Lanka leader calls Modi, denies blaming RAW

Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on telephone and rejected reports in a section of the media about him alluding to the involvement of India and its external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in an alleged plot to assassinate the President and a former defence secretary of Sri Lanka.

"The President of Sri Lanka stated that he categorically rejected the reports in sections of media about him alluding to the involvement of India in any manner whatsoever in an alleged plot to assassinate the President and a former Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka," a statement issued by the Indian PM's office said late on Wednesday night.

Sirisena termed the media reports as "mischievous and malafide, utterly baseless and false" and said they "seemed intended to create misunderstanding between the two leaders as well as damage the cordial relations between the two friendly neighbours," according to the statement.

The reports in a section of the media had cited unnamed sources as saying that Sirisena had in a cabinet meeting in Colombo on Tuesday alluded to the RAW plotting his assassination.

Sirisena's phone call to Modi and his denial came a day ahead of the two-day visit by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinge to India that began yesterday. Wickramesinge will hold talks with Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

The Lankan President apprised the Indian Prime Minister "of the urgent steps taken by him personally and the government of Sri Lanka to publicly reject these reports and in this context, he also recalled his meeting with the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka on Wednesday morning."