Banning PFI is .... "not the way to tackle this problem", says CPI-M

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the

following statement:

On PFI Ban

The Popular Front of India (PFI) is an organization which holds extremist

views and has been indulging in violent activities against its perceived

opponents.  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 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.   

 Govt bans Popular Front of India, associates !! Fund raising & radicalisation projects: Foreign Angle

New Delhi 

The Central government has declared Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates and affiliates as an 

unlawful association with immediate effect for a period of five years. 

A notification from the Union Home Ministry said the PFI and its associates and affiliates including Rehab India 

Foundation, Campus Front of India, All India Imams Council, National Confederation of Human Rights Organization, 

National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation, and Rehab Foundation, Kerala have been involved in the violent terrorist activities with an intent to create a reign of terror in the country. 

It said that the government is of the opinion that if there is no immediate curb of unlawful activities of the PFI and 

related fronts, they will use this opportunity to continue the subversive activities thereby disturbing public order and 

undermining the constitutional setup of the country. 

It further said that the PFI and associates could also encourage and enforce terror-based regressive regimes 

and continue propagating anti-national sentiments and radicalize a particular section of society with the 

intention to create disaffection against the country. 

In view of this, the Minister said, it is necessary to declare that the PFI and its associates, affiliates, and 

fronts as unlawful association with immediate effect.

In raids in multiple states on Sept 27, Tuesday, 247 people belonging to PFI from seven states were arrested. 

During the raids, the investigating agencies including ED and NIA have got enough evidence against the PFI. 

For this reason, a recommendation was made by the investigating agencies to ban PFI.

The government action follows a series of raids on PFI offices and residences of their leaders and

associates across India.

Fund raising & radicalisation projects: Foreign Angle

Like most devilish anti-India designs, the PFI fund-raising and radicalisation aspects have

foreign angles and countries such as Oman, UAE and Qatar are in focus of the investigations

by NIA and other agencies.

Sources say while real estate players in Abu Dhabi have allegedly helped PFI with generous

donations, in some countries such as Saudi Arabia, the PFI members connect to Indian Muslims 

on the pretext of 'helping them' with logistics and other assistance.

However, in most cases, the actual purpose is to "radicalise" Indian Muslims often with doctored videos and

photographs.

The funds and 'sources' of the same have been kept concealed by the PFI leaders from official agencies.

Often the money has been used to trigger anti-BJP and anti-Modi government protests in various

parts of the country.

"During CAA agitation in 2019-2020, the PFI network has played a considerable role.

The new amendments have nothing to do with Muslim citizens of India but a deliberate widespread

campaign was launched to misinterpret the legislation....The PFI and its associates also created a number of dummy organisations," a source said, adding some organisations were even floated showing bases in some Gulf

countries.

The sources said that a number of PFI workers have travelled to the UAE in the last two-three years.

The purpose was allegedly to collect funds and finetune the network with operatives in other Gulf

countries. A few people also had nexus in Turkey, the source said.

Huge cash was allegedly sent to India through the Hawala route.

The sources said that NRIs' accounts were being used by the PFI members to send

funds from Gulf countries. After receiving the fund, the member would transfer it to

another account from where they would withdraw it.

Some operatives also got in touch with their contacts in countries like Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

There are at least three 'front organisations' of the PFI that have come under the scanner of the NIA probe.

They are Indian Social Forum (ISF), Rehab India Foundation (RIF) and India Fraternity Forum.

There are a few other organisations operating in different countries.

The Kuwait Indian Social Forum is run by so-called annual membership, subscriptions and donations.

It claims that all of these funds are primarily intended to ‘aid’ the Muslim cause. The group works on

'radicalisation project' using videos of anti-Muslim violence and episodes such as the demolition of the

Babri structure in 1992.

The Cultural Forum is another influential networking-based organisation working amongst

Malayali community in Qatar.

On Tuesday, Sept 27, raids were conducted in Assam, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra and 

Uttar Pradesh. 

In state-wide raids in Karnataka, more than 75 PFI workers of its political wing Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI)

leaders were taken into preventive custody.

The NIA and ED and other central agencies conducted massive raids against the PFI on September 22. 

The NIA had arrested over 106 members of the PFI during its largest-ever raids. 

ends