‘This Ban On PFI Cannot Be Supported’: Owaisi

A member of the Popular Front of India arrested by Assam Police being produced before a court in Guwahati (PTI)

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said though he always opposed the Popular Front of India’s approach, the ban on the radical outfit cannot be supported.Meanwhile, BJP in Telangana today welcomed the Centre’s ban on PFI, saying the “tough and timely action” by the Narendra Modi government would ensure that divisive forces do not build national networks under the guise of social organisations.

The PFI, which has allegedly been involved in violence and has “links” with global terrorist organisations like ISIS, was banned by the Centre on Wednesday along with its several associates for five years following a crackdown against its leaders. It has for long been accused of involvement in violent acts, “instigating” protests like the one against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The ban came after over 150 people allegedly linked with PFI were detained or arrested in raids across seven states on Tuesday, five days after a similar pan-India crackdown against the 16-year-old group had led to the arrest of over a hundred of its activists and seizure of several dozen properties.

“While I have always opposed PFI’s approach and supported democratic approach, this ban on PFI cannot be supported,” Owaisi said in a series of tweets. “But a draconian ban of this kind is dangerous as it is a ban on any Muslim who wishes to speak his mind. The way India’s electoral autarky is approaching fascism, every Muslim youth will now be arrested with a PFI pamphlet under India’s black law, UAPA,” he tweeted.

Meanwhile. the Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued a statement on the development, saying that the PFI is an organization which holds extremist views and has been indulging in violent activities against its perceived opponents and the CPI(M) has been strongly opposed to these extremist views and has always condemned the violent activities of the PFI.

“However, the notification of the PFI as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) is not the way to tackle this problem. Past experience has shown that bans on organisations like the RSS and the Maoists were not effective. There has to be firm administrative action under the existing laws against the PFI whenever it indulges in illegal or violent activities. Its sectarian and divisive ideology must be exposed and fought politically among the people,” the CPI (M) statement read further.

“The PFI and the RSS have been engaged in killings and retaliatory killings in Kerala and coastal Karnataka, vitiating the atmosphere with a view to create communal polarization. There are also extremist organisations like the Sanatan Sanstha and the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, elements of whom have been implicated in the killings of noted secular writers and personalities. All these forces, whether they represent extremist majority or minority groups, must be combated by utilizing the regular laws of the land and by firm administrative action. Maintaining the secular-democratic character of the Republic by countering such forces must be the prime duty of those who exercise power and are sworn to uphold the Constitution,” the statement added.

Besides PFI, the other organisations which were also declared banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) include Rehab India Foundation, Campus Front of India, All India Imams’ Council, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation, National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala.

PFI was formed on December 19, 2006, with the merger of the Karnataka Forum for Dignity and the National Development Front (NDF).