PFI ban evokes guarded response from groups

KOZHIKODE:THE country-wide ban on Popular Front of India (PFI) evoked mixed response from political parties with many Muslim organisations opting for a cautious approach laced with opposition to extremism of all brands.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second largest partner of the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) ater Congress, reiterated party’s known stand that extremist ideologies have to be resisted for the common good of the society.

IUML national general secretary PK Kunhalikuty said his party is fully opposed to PFI activities. He said that ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Union government should rein in

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other related organisations which are engaged in similar vituperative campaigns.

“It is not an impartial stand to allow RSS and other Sangh Parivar organisations to operate freely and engage in hate campaigns,” he said.

Former minister and IUML leader Dr MK Muneer hailed the ban and said one has to stand with the decision as PFI had unleashed so much violence. “PFI ideology should be opposed so that it can be uprooted from society. Otherwise like an amoeba, it will appear in new forms,” Dr Muneer said.

Progressive Muslim oufit Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) said the ban on PFI was the result of its own actions. “RSS and other Sangh Parivar organisations are engaged in the same kind of polarisation like PFI. Authorities should view things in a just manner and all such organisations spreading extremism and communalism should be reined in. Otherwise, the ban will become meaningless,” KNM state president TP Abdulla Koya Madani said.

Indian National League (INL), a partner in the ruling Let Democratic Front (LDF), said that previous experiences have shown that an organisation or collective cannot be rooted out with a ban and an ideological fight was needed now.

Jamaat-e-islami (JEI) said that the ban was anti-democratic and one sided.

“The Narendra Modi government has been hounding the entities it disliked using agencies like NIA and ED,” Jei’s Kerala Amir MI Abdul Azeez said.

Meanwhile, state government has begun efforts to implement the central government ban on PFI and eight of its affiliates. Offices of PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts will be sealed in the state, and their bank accounts will be frozen. According to the police, the organisation has over 140 offices in Kerala. Only offices directly associated with PFI will be sealed.

Buildings rented out by the organisation may be let out from the proceedings.