The government’s decision to declare PFI as an “unlawful association” comes after the second round of the crackdown against the PFI on Tuesday. More than 250 Popular Front of India (PFI) functionaries and people linked to it were rounded up Tuesday in sweeping police raids in several states against the outfit, currently being investigated by the NIA and the ED for its alleged terrorist activities and terrorism-linked funding.
Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India(CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation(NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Jr Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala- all affiliates of the PFI- have also been banned via the same order.
“PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts operate openly as a socio-economic, educational and political organization but, they have been pursuing a secret agenda to radicalize a particular section of the society working towards undermining the concept of democracy and show sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority and constitutional set up of the country,” said the government notification.
The notification said 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 to disturb public peace and communal harmony of the country and support militancy in the country.
PFI-SIMI links
The MHA notification further said some of the PFI’s founding members are the leaders of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), both of which are proscribed organisations.
Back in 2012, the government of Kerala headed by Oommen Chandy of the Congress, had informed the High Court that PFI was “nothing but a resurrection of the banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in another form”.
(With inputs from agencies)