‘As law-abiding citizens, we accept decision of MHA’: PFI issues statement dissolving organisation

After the Central government banned the Popular Front of India and its affiliates, the PFI announced its dissolution on Wednesday.

In a statement, PFI state general secretary A Abdul Sathar said the organisation was disbanded after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a notification banning it. “As law-abiding citizens of the country, we accept the decision of the Home Ministry,” he added.

“The PFI has been working with a clear vision for the socio-economic and cultural empowerment of the underprivileged, downtrodden and marginalised sections of the society for the past three decades. But as law-abiding citizens of our great country, the organisation accepts the decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It also informs all its former members and the general public that the Popular Front of India has been disbanded. All members of the Popular Front of India are requested to cease their activities since the publication of the notification," he said.

"All PFI members & public are informed that the Popular Front of India (PFI) has been dissolved. MHA has issued a notification banning PFI. As law-abiding citizens of our great country,the organization accepts the decision," says Kerala State General Secretary of PFI Abdul Sattar pic.twitter.com/YQorHN43zu

— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2022

Following a nationwide crackdown on the Popular Front of India, the Centre on Wednesday put a five-year ban on the Islamic organisation and all of its affiliates.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday welcomed the Union government's decision to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI) for its alleged terror activities, and said the move sends a message to all "anti-national groups" that they will not survive in this country.

He said all that is necessary would be done to stop PFI's activities in the state.

"For a long time, it has been a demand by the people of this country, by all political parties including the opposition CPI, CPI(M) and the Congress. PFI is the avatar (incarnation) of SIMI (banned Students' Islamic Movement of India), and KFD (Karnataka Forum for Dignity). They were involved in anti-national activities and violence," Bommai said.

The CPI(M) on Wednesday said it opposes the extremist views of the Popular Front of India (PFI), but does not support the way the government is tackling it by banning the outfit under the anti-terror law UAPA.

"... 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,” it said.

BJP on Wednesday called the ban on PFI a "strong and timely" action and accused the Congress of patronising it.The PFI, which has alleged to have been involved in a series of violent incidents and has been said to have "links" with global terror groups like ISIS, was banned by the Centre on Wednesday along with its several affiliates for five years.