The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday instituted a five-year ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its frontal organisations, including its student wing, the Campus Front of India (CFI). The Ministry deemed the outfit an “unlawful association” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The official gazette enumerating the order informed that the state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat had recommended the ban on PFI. It added that if there was no immediate ban, the group would continue its subversive activities, disturbing public order and undermining the constitutional set-up of the country; encourage and enforce a terror-based regressive regime and continue to propagate anti-national sentiments and radicalise a particular section of society.
The official gazette also informed about the outfit’s founding members having links with Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) - both proscribed organisations. It added that there have been instances that enumerated its links with global terrorist groups as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Commenting on the ban, Member of Parliament (MP) from Hyderabad and AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted, “While I have always opposed PFI’s approach and supported democratic approach, this ban on PFI cannot be supported.” He added, “Actions of some individuals who commit crime does not mean that the organisation itself must be banned.” He pointed to previous Supreme Court judgements to elaborate his case.
The ban follows country-wide searches where hundreds of members of the groups were arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other agencies. The Ministry would now set up a tribunal under the UAPA to allow the banned outfit to defend itself against the ban.
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