Fadnavis welcomes ban on PFI, says action to be taken against supporters

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday aligned with the Centres ban on PFI and said that action will be taken against PFI supportersThe ban on PFI is absolutely correct if Naxalites are helping PFI then Naxalites will only help their supporters helping Naxalites or like Naxalites against the system against the public against the common people PFI was doing conspiracies so they have been banned action will be taken against those who support them said FadnavisHe also stressed on security details during the upcoming festivities so that no fringe elements disrupt any ongoing celebrationsKeeping in mind the possibility that PFIsupported organizations can indirectly disrupt important programs like Dasara Melava and Nagpurs Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Diwas we are preparing Those who are against democracy such elements can enter anywhere and spread chaos so the organizers should be careful the Home Department is also alert on this he addedAlso read HC to pronounce order on former Maha home minister Anil Deshmukhs bail pleaThe Union home ministry declared the Popular Front of India PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect for five years under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts operate openly as a socioeconomic educational and political organization but they have been pursuing a secret agenda to radicalise 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 notificationThe 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 countryIt further said some of the PFIs founding members are the leaders of the Students Islamic Movement of India SIMI and PFI has linkages with JamatulMujahideen Bangladesh JMB both of which are proscribed organisationsThere had been a number of instances of international linkages of PFI with global terrorist groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ISIS the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been working covertly to increase the radicalization of one community by promoting a sense of insecurity in the country which is substantiated by the fact that some PFI cadres have joined international terrorist organisations said the notificationThe Central Government having regard to the above circumstances is of the firm opinion that it is necessary to declare the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect and accordingly in the exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to subsection 3 of section 3 of the said Act the Central Government hereby directs that this notification shall subject to any order that may be made under section 4 of the said Act have effect for a period of five years from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette it saidThe National Investigation Agency Enforcement Directorate and the state police forces jointly coordinated searches at the houses and offices of the PFI leaders and members across IndiaSearches were conducted at 93 locations in 15 states of India in which over 100 activists of the Popular Front of India PFI were arrestedThe states where the raids were conducted included Andhra Pradesh 4 places Telangana 1 Delhi 19 Kerala 11 Karnataka 8 Tamil Nadu 3 Uttar Pradesh 1 Rajasthan 2 Hyderabad 5 Assam Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Goa West Bengal Bihar and ManipurThe searches were conducted in connection with five cases registered by the NIA following continued inputs and evidence that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in the funding of terrorism and terrorist activities organising training camps for providing armed training and radicalising people to join banned organisationsA large number of criminal cases were registered in different states over the last few years against the PFI and its leaders and members for their involvement in many violent actsThe PFI was launched in Kerala in 2006This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever