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'Islamic country by 2047, cadres told to…': Maharashtra ATS chief on PFI plan
Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) chief Vineet Agarwal said the PFI gave lectures to incite people, telling participants to keep items for self-defence, bricks and sharp objects on their terraces.
The Maharashtra home department has issued an order using powers under Section 42 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act authorising the police commissioners and district magistrates to exercise their powers against the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI). Other states including Kerala and Tamil Nadu have passed such orders declaring the PFI as an unlawful association.
Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) chief Vineet Agarwal said the PFI had a plan to make an Islamic country by 2047 by motivating people to commit hate crimes. It also gave lectures to incite them, telling participants to keep items for self-defence, bricks and sharp objects on their terraces, news agency ANI quoted Agarwal as saying.
"They used to portray themselves as persons associated with social development and physical education and gather people; gave lectures to incite them. Also told participants to keep items for self-defence, bricks and sharp objects on their terraces, the Maharashtra ATS chief said.
“We are using tools to recover their data, they had a plan to make an Islamic country by 2047 by motivating people to commit hate crimes. Target killing was their modus operandi by identifying the target. We will further freeze their accounts,” Agarwal added.
The officer also said raids were conducted before a ban on the PFI. Post the ban, the organisation has been dissolved. Now, it doesn't have any right to regroup or protest on any platform except on the legal platform.
Also Read | Delhi Police on 'alert mode' after Centre's PFI ban: Report
The Ministry of home affairs (MHA) had made the announcement of the PFI ban for five years through a notification issued late on Tuesday night, declaring "the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect".
Along with the PFI, the ban is also imposed on its fronts, including 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 as an "unlawful association".
The move comes a day after the Union Home Ministry imposed a ban on the Popular Front of India for "terror links".
(With inputs from ANI)
