Long pending demand of the people of country: Karnataka CM on PFI ban

The PFI has a strong presence in the coastal districts of Karnataka among other regions and its political arm, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), also won seats in the gram panchayat elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka on Wednesday welcomed the move by the union government to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI), calling it the fulfilment of a long pending demand of the people of the country.

CM Basavaraj Bommai said it was a long standing demand of the people. (Twitter | Basavaraj S Bommai)

“It was a long-time demand of the people of the country from all parties, including the CPI (Communist Party of India), CPI (M) and Congress. PFI is an avatar of SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India), KFD (Karnataka Forum for Dignity) and PFI”, Basavaraj Bommai, the chief minister of Karnataka said on Wednesday.

“They were involved in anti-national activities, involved in lot of violence...they had their conduct outside the country and some of their important office bearers went across the borders and had their own training and that’s how they were doing all their anti-national activities and the time had come to ban this organisation with lot of background work, information, cases and information from all over the state and the government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and Amit Shah ji has taken the right decision and this is a message for all anti-national groups that they will not survive doing anti-national activities in this country. And I urge the people also not to associate with such groups,” Bommai added.

Karnataka Congress also welcomed the move to ban the outfit.

“Any organisation that is against the Indian Constitution & a threat to our democracy & its social fabric should be uprooted wholly. No second thoughts on it,” Priyank Kharge, Congress legislator and Chairman of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress committee’s communication cell said.

The PFI has a strong presence in the coastal districts of Karnataka among other regions and its political arm, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), also won seats in the gram panchayat elections. Its student wing, Campus Front of India (CFI) were at the forefront of the Hijab row in Karnataka, supporting the students in their agitation against the restrictions of wearing headscarves with the school uniform.

“The Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been found to be involved in serious offences, including terrorism and its financing, targeted gruesome killings, disregarding the constitutional set up of the country, disturbing public order etc. which are prejudicial to the integrity, security, and sovereignty of the country,” according to a statement by the union government.

The statement, shared by PIB, states that PFI along with its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), 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” under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.”

“The union government’s decision to ban PFI is a welcome move. Recently, the NIA had raided the homes of (PFI) activists and gathered evidence. Such bigoted forces, organisations have carried out dirty work and provoke youngsters against the country. For the unity of the country, banning this organisation is a good development,” Araga Jnanendra, Karnataka’s minister for home affairs, said.

“Any organisation that is against the Indian Constitution & a threat to our democracy & it’s social fabric should be uprooted wholly. No second thoughts on it,” Priyank Kharge, Congress legislator and Chairman of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee’s communication cell said.