New Delhi, September 28, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Narendra Modi-led fascist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has banned the Muslim organization Popular Front of India (PFI) for five years over alleged terror activities after two rounds of country-wide raids and arrest of over 240 leaders and functionaries of in a week.
The Modi regime has declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts as “unlawful associations” under draconian law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala, have also been declared unlawful associations.
“PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country and have the potential of disturbing public peace and communal harmony of the country and supporting militancy in the country,” according to the allegations levelled in the gazette notification from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs. The ministry alleged that some of the PFI’s founding members are the leaders of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh.
There had been a number of instances of international linkages of PFI with Global Terrorist Groups like Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), according to the notification. “Some activists of the PFI have joined Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and participated in terror activities in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of these PFI cadres linked to ISIS have been killed in these conflict theatres and some have been arrested by State Police and Central Agencies,” the MHA alleged.
Meanwhile, PFI’s official handle tweeted, “Massive arrests are going on in BJP-ruled states in the name of preventive custody. This is nothing but prevention of the Right to democratic protests against the Central government’s witch-hunt targeting PFI is quite natural and expected under this autocratic system.”
However, these are only allegations from the government which are yet to be proved in courts. The leaders of PFI denied the allegations consistently and they said they would fight democratically and legally. It is worth mentioning here that victimization of Muslims and their representative organizations in India have increased manifold since BJP came into power in 2014. They are being treated as second class citizens and even not being accepted as Indians.
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