The Centre on Wednesday banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates for a period of five years.
The affiliates include Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation, and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an "unlawful association".
Meanwhile, several reacted to the case. Several Muslim organisations welcomed the move by the government. Expressing the need to finish terrorism in the country, Vishwa Hindu Parishad's spokesperson Vinod Bansal told ANI that the country could not be terror-free unless the "clan of terror" is abolished.
"This (Popular Front of India) was a clan of terror, whose terrorism cannot be finished until and unless you destroy its clan...," Bansal told ANI while reacting to the evidence gathered by the Centre, following which it banned the PFI and its affiliate organisations, on the late night of Tuesday, for being involved in terror activities.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday welcomed the Union government's decision to ban the Popular Front of India, which has allegedly been involved in a series of violence, and said it has come to light that the organisation was planning "something serious" in the state. The organisation members had also tried to disturb peace in Pune, but swift police action foiled their bid, Shinde told reporters in Nashik and thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the step to ban PFI and its several associates for five years.
"The government is firm in its resolve to ensure that anyone with a diabolical, divisive, or disruptive design against India shall be dealt with iron fist," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on Twitter. "India of Modi Era is decisive and bold," he added.
Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh said, "Why only PFI? Ban RSS too. The ban on PFI is not the remedy as RSS is also spreading Hindu communalism throughout the country."
Union minister V Muraleedharan on Wednesday lauded the Centre's ban on PFI and its affiliates for five years, saying it showed that the Modi government "acts tough" with forces aiming to disrupt peace and stability."No compromise on National Security. Banning PFI reiterates the fact that @narendramodi Govt acts tough on forces aiming to disrupt peace & nation's stability. @narendramodi govt ensuring integrity, sovereignty & security of the country. The whole nation welcomes this decision," he tweeted.
As per the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, "there had been a number of instances of international linkages of PFI with global terrorist groups and some activists of the PFI have joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and participated in terror activities in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of these PFI cadres linked to the ISIS have been killed in these conflict theaters and some have been arrested by State Police and Central Agencies and also the PFI has linkages with Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), a proscribed terrorist organisation."
(With inputs from agencies)
