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Tag: PFI

  • Those who oppose ‘The Kerala Story’ are supporters of PFI, ISIS: Anurag Thakur

    Those who oppose ‘The Kerala Story’ are supporters of PFI, ISIS: Anurag Thakur

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    New Delhi: Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday lashed out at the opposition parties and said those who are opposing “The Kerala Story” film are supporters of the proscribed PFI and terror outfit ISIS.

    Addressing a function in Gurugram, Thakur said that those who are opposing the film are supporting the agenda of terror group PFI as well the ISIS.

    The senior BJP leader said that “The Kerala Story” exposed the conspiracy wherein Hindu and Christian girls were forced into terrorism.

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi also mentioned the movie in his recent speech in Karnataka and said, “‘The Kerala story’ is trying to expose the consequences of terrorism in a society, especially in a state like Kerala which is a beautiful land of hardworking, talented and intellectual people.”

    Madhya Pradesh has announced that the film will be tax free in the state, while Uttar Pradesh minister Brajesh Pathak has said it will not oppose any proposal to grant similar status in the state.

    Multiplexes across Tamil Nadu have cancelled screenings of the controversial film from Sunday, citing law and order issues and poor public response.

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    #oppose #Kerala #Story #supporters #PFI #ISIS #Anurag #Thakur

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Hyderabad: Bajrang Dal protests at Congress’ office for PFI comparison

    Hyderabad: Bajrang Dal protests at Congress’ office for PFI comparison

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    Hyderabad: The Bajrang Dal unit of Telangana on Wednesday besieged the Congress party’s office at Nampally to protest the former’s comparison of the organization to the Popular Front of India (PFI).

    The Congress party leaders in Karnataka on Tuesday likened the Bajrang Dal to the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) and stated the party was committed to taking decisive action, including imposing a ban on outfits spreading hatred among communities.

    The Congress leaders said that the grand old party is committed to taking ‘firm and decisive action’ against individuals and organisations ‘spreading hatred amongst communities on the grounds of caste and religion’.

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    “We believe that law and constitution are sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals and organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on such organisations,” the party mentioned in its election manifesto released on Tuesday.

    Over a hundred policemen were stationed at the Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday following a protest call by the Bajrang Dal unit of Telangana. Despite it, the Bajrang Dal activists came in dozens and attempted to lay siege to Gandhi Bhavan. The activists were taken into custody and shifted to different police stations including Bolaram, Begum Bazaar and Musheerabad.

    Bajrang Dal state convener Shivaramulu expressed anger and stated that comparing Bajrang Dal with a ‘terrorist organization like Popular Front of India (PFI) which has terrorist roots’ is wrong.

    He said that the Congress party has once again proved that it is an anti-Hindu party. “Congress party has once again spewed poison on the Hindus during the elections in the state of Karnataka,” he remarked.

    Comparing Bajrang Dal with the terrorist organization PFI in the election manifesto, he said that banning Bajrang Dal is a despicable process. “Insulting Hindus for the satisfaction of Muslims is evil,” he said.

    Shiva Ramulu stated that effigies of the Congress party were burnt under the leadership of Bajrang Dal across the state of Telangana to protest against the ‘hatred’ of the Congress.

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    #Hyderabad #Bajrang #Dal #protests #Congress #office #PFI #comparison

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Karnataka: Congress likens Bajrang Dal to PFI, promises to ban it

    Karnataka: Congress likens Bajrang Dal to PFI, promises to ban it

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    As Karnataka inches closer to voting for the next state government on May 10, the Congress party has promised to ban organisations that spread communal hatred in the state.

    In its manifesto released on Tuesday, the Congress party leaders including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, state president D K Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah party’s national spokesperson Pawan Khera, senior leader P Chidambaram identified and compared Hindutva organisation Bajrang Dal in the same lengths to the banned Islamic organisation PFI (Popular Front of India).

    On September 28, 2022, the BJP-led Central Government banned PFI for five years, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. They stated PFI had a secret agenda of radicalising certain sections of the society that posed a threat to India’s integrity, sovereignty and security.

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    The Congress party on Tuesday said if voted to power, it will take action against any individual, and organisations responsible for spreading communal hatred or promoting enmity between different communities.

    The manifesto named ‘Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota’ (peaceful garden of all communities), states, “The Congress Party is committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste or religion. We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and can not be violated by individuals and Organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities.”

    Karnataka will go to the Assembly elections on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.

    VHP, BJP not happy

    Reacting strongly over the comparison of Bajrang Dal with PFI, leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Hindutva organisations Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) termed Congress’s manifesto as ‘unfortunate for the people of Karnataka’.

    International joint general secretary of VHP Dr Surendra Jain posted a video saying that each and every Bajrang Dal worker works for India’s development and prosperity.

    He alleged that the defamation of Bajrang Dal is a part of Congress’s conspiracy theory and the party has always supported PFI in the past. “Bajrang Dal has always stood against anti-India elements like PFI while remaining inside the perimeters of the Constitution,” Surendra Jain said.

    BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya posted Jain’s video and tweeted, “Surendra Jain, International General Secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, tears into the Congress for equating Bajrang Dal with banned terror organisation PFI… Reminds Sonia Gandhi how she opposed a ban on, now banned, SIMI. The Congress, it seems, has decided to dig its grave.”

    Using #KannadigasWithModi as a hashtag, BJP Karnataka, on its official Twitter account, tweeted, “I’m fortunate to be at the birthplace of Shri Hanuman, but it also unfortunate to know that at the same time I’m here, the Congress has declared to ban the Bajrang Dal, who revere Bajrang Bali Hanuman, if they come to power: PM Shri @narendramodi.”

    RSS leader Rupa Murthy tweeted, “Karnataka Congress has promised to ban BAJRANG DAL IN KARNATAKA if voted to power. What next? Mandate celebrations of Tippu Jayanti in every household. Jail those who wear Janeu? Ban Kumkuma and Kalava? If you still want to vote Congress to power in Karnataka, or if you simply want to abstain from voting, you too are a huge part of the problem! #FullSupportToBajrangDal.”



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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • NIA raids underway at 17 locations of banned PFI

    NIA raids underway at 17 locations of banned PFI

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    New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted raids at 17 locations across the country of the banned organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with a terror case.

    According to sources, the searches that began early this morning were on in the states of Bihar, UP, Punjab and Goa.

    An official communication by the probe agency is awaited.

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    The Ministry of Home Affairs had on September 28 declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its eight affiliates “unlawful associations” for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

    The ban came shortly after the NIA, ED and various state police forces carried out a coordinated nationwide crackdown on the PFI.

    In 2019, the Uttar Pradesh government sought a ban on the PFI for its alleged involvement in anti-CAA protests in parts of the state.

    The Central government’s ban on the PFI was imposed on several counts centred on terror, including terror funding and training. Consequently, hundreds of its leaders have been apprehended in the past few days.

    As per the sources, the specific reasons for the Union government to ban the outfit pertains to the PFI’s efforts to “radicalise” vulnerable people of a community, its links to other terrorist organisations, including the IS, and more significantly, posing a threat to India’s internal security by way of involvement in major violent incidents that point at the PFI.

    Details are awaited.

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    #NIA #raids #underway #locations #banned #PFI

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • PFI link: NIA attaches 2 floors of Pune school building

    PFI link: NIA attaches 2 floors of Pune school building

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    New Delhi: The NIA on Sunday attached two floors of a school building in Pune where the Popular Front of India (PFI) had been organising camps to radicalise and indoctrinate Muslim youths and further train them for carrying out targeted killings and attacks against leaders and organisations of a particular community.

    The 4th and 5th floors of the Blue Bell School Building were used by PFI to plan and prepare for carrying out terrorist activities with the aim of endangering the unity, integrity and security of India.

    “PFI was recruiting innocent Muslim youth into the outfit at these premises, and also providing them with armed and unarmed training to eliminate/attack those opposed to the establishment of Islamic Rule in the country by 2047,” said the NIA.

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    The official said that the two floors have been attached by the NIA as ‘proceeds of terrorism’ under the provisions of UAPA, in a case registered by the agency on April 13.

    The NIA had filed a charge sheet on March 18, 2023, before the NIA Special Court, Delhi, against 20 accused, including the PFI, as an organisation.

    The NIA had conducted a search of the two floors of the school premises on September 22, last year.

    The agency had seized incriminating documents, which revealed that the said property was used by the accused, found to be associated with the PFI, for organising arms training for its cadres. The training camps served as platforms to incite innocent Muslim youths against the government, as well as leaders and organisations of a particular community. The camps were also used to inflame their passions and provoke them into embracing violent jihad, with the aim of committing terrorist activities.

    The newly recruited PFI cadres were trained in the use of dangerous weapons, like knife, sickle etc, for attacking and murdering prominent leaders opposed to the outfit’s ideology of establishing an Islamic Rule in India.

    The NIA investigations had earlier revealed that the accused persons were part of the criminal conspiracy to establish Caliphate and Islamic Rule in India by waging war against the country and toppling the democratically elected government. They were all identified as senior PFI cadres, accountants, authorised signatories of PFI’s bank accounts.

    The NIA has been investigating the activities of the PFI, which was banned for five years, in September 2022 by the government.

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    #PFI #link #NIA #attaches #floors #Pune #school #building

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • SC junks PFI student wing leader’s plea for PMLA case transfer to Ernakulam

    SC junks PFI student wing leader’s plea for PMLA case transfer to Ernakulam

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    New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday junked a plea moved by the Popular Front of India’s (PFI) student wing leader, K.A. Rauf Sherif, seeking a transfer of a money-laundering case lodged against him from Lucknow to Kerala’s Ernakulam.

    A bench of Justices V. Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal said: “We find no legally valid and justifiable grounds to order this transfer. Therefore, this transfer petition is dismissed. Pending application(s), if any, stands disposed of accordingly.”

    The bench noted that the fact that the petitioner was sent to custody by the special judge at Ernakulam under Section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure and that, therefore, the filing of the complaint at Lucknow is impermissible, is not legally well-founded.

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    The petitioner was arrested on December 12, 2020, in Kerala and he was produced before the magistrate on December 13, 2020, who sent him to judicial custody till December 24, 2020. “Therefore, the NIA moved an application under Section 167 of the Code before the Principal Sessions Judge, Ernakulam for the grant of Enforcement Directorate custody for a period of 14 days. An order under Section 167(2) of the Code had to be passed necessarily by the magistrate to whom an accused person is forwarded. In fact, Section 167(2) contains the words whether he has or has not jurisdiction to try the case. Therefore, the argument revolving around Section 167(2) of the Code also fails,” said the bench.

    It stressed that a special court in Lucknow dealing with cases lodged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cannot be said to be lacking in territorial jurisdiction to entertain the complaint. “In any case, the lack of jurisdiction of a court to entertain a complaint can be no ground to order its transfer. A congenital defect of lack of jurisdiction, assuming that it exists, inures to the benefit of the accused and hence it need not be cured at the instance of the accused to his detriment. Therefore, the first ground on which transfer is sought, is liable to be rejected,” it said.

    The bench noted that the second ground on which transfer is sought is that 7 out of 10 accused persons are residents of Kerala. “But this can hardly be a ground for ordering the transfer of investigation. Similarly, the third ground that a majority of witnesses are also from Kerala/south India is also no ground to order the transfer of the complaint,” it held.

    The ED had contended that Sherif had received huge amounts of money in his bank accounts through suspicious transactions.

    The Lucknow court had framed charges against Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan and six others in the PMLA case in December 2022. In October 2020, Kappan was arrested with three others on their way to Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras to report on the alleged gang rape and killing of a 19-year-old woman.

    Besides Kappan, the other accused in the case is Sherif and others. Sherif claimed that he was the General Secretary of Campus Front of India, which is now banned as an unlawful association, vide notification issued by the Union of India, Ministry of Home Affairs dated September 27, 2021 under Section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967

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    #junks #PFI #student #wing #leaders #plea #PMLA #case #transfer #Ernakulam

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Leaders of banned PFI, CFI arrested in Assam

    Leaders of banned PFI, CFI arrested in Assam

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    Barpeta: Three leaders of the proscribed Popular Front of India (PFI) and Campus Front of India (CFI) were arrested by Assam police from Barpeta Road Railway station, police said on Saturday.

    Two of the three arrested are top leaders of PFI and one of CFI, superintendent of police Amitabh Sinha told reporters here.

    The trio were arrested from the railway station on Thursday night when they arrived there by train from Delhi, he said.

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    The CFI leader was identified to be its national treasurer Jahidul Islam while the PFI leaders are its Assam secretary Jakir Hussain and state president Abu Sama, Sinha said.

    The police also seized Rs 1.5 lakh in cash and several documents from them, the SP said.

    Sinha said that the trio had fled from the state after both the outfits were banned in September 2022 and were continuing their activities from outside Assam.

    Police was on their trail for long and the three are being interrogated to ascertain the reason for their visit, he said.

    Islam and Hussain were residents of Baksa district, while Sama hails from Barpeta.

    A total 36 PFI activists were arrested from different parts of the state and New Delhi during a national crackdown against the outfit in September. It led to a ban on the outfit the same month.

    The organisation was found to be active in the minority-dominated districts, particularly in the char (riverine) areas, since 2014 when its activists began helping people from the community in filing documents for inclusion of their names in the National Register of Citizens.

    Prior to that, they were found to be mainly involved in educational activities in the riverine areas of Bengali-speaking Muslim dominated areas.

    PFI shot into prominence in the state during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in 2019 and some of their activists were also arrested during the stir for alleged stone-pelting in the state.

    The CFI is the student wing of PFI. PFI, CFI and seven other associated outfits were banned by the Centre for unlawful activities in September, 2022.

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    #Leaders #banned #PFI #CFI #arrested #Assam

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Karnataka BJP activist murder case: NIA seizes PFI office

    Karnataka BJP activist murder case: NIA seizes PFI office

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    Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the murder of BJP Yuva Morcha activist Praveen Kumar Nettaru has seized an office of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Sullia town of Dakshina Kannada district, sources said on Monday.

    According to sources, the PFI office in Sullia was used for carrying out terrorist activities. The office was located on the first floor of Tahira complex on Aletti Road in Gandhinagar.

    The copy of seizure has been sent to the owner of the property, District Commissioner, Superintendent of Police of Dakshina Kannada district. The order maintains that the property should not be leased or rented out. Directions have been given against shifting any property from the office or taking up renovation work.

    Sources explained that the conspiracy to murder Praveen Kumar Nettaru was hatched in the office. Praveen was hacked to death by assailants in their third attempt.

    The NIA sleuths had submitted a charge sheet against 20 persons with the Special NIA court in Bengaluru. The charge sheet contains 1,500 pages and statements of 240 witnesses.

    NIA had earlier sealed the Mittur Freedom Community Hall in Idukki village near Bantwal town in connection with murder case in February.

    Praveen was hacked to death at the height of the hijab and halal crisis in the state on July 26, 2022. The incident had taken place in Bellare near Sullia in Dakshina Kannada district.

    The Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) had announced a ticket for Shafi Bellare, an accused in the Nettare murder to contest in the upcoming Assembly election in Karnataka. The development raised a debate in the state.

    Shafi Bellare is presently lodged in prison in connection with the murder. He was arrested by the NIA and is currently in its custody.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Rajasthan: NIA seals two PFI offices, freezes 10 bank accounts

    Rajasthan: NIA seals two PFI offices, freezes 10 bank accounts

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    New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday said it has sealed two offices of the banned organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) in Rajasthan, and also froze 10 of its bank accounts.

    An official said that NIA is investigating the criminal conspiracy hatched by PFI leaders and cadres in Rajasthan to drive a wedge between different communities in the country through radicalisation.

    “The banned organisation has also been conducting training of gullible Muslim youth in handling of weapons. They have been raising funds to carry out acts of terror and violence with the ultimate objective of establishing Islamic rule in India by 2047,” the official said.

    Earlier, on March 13, the NIA had filed chargesheet against Mohammad Ashif a.k.a. Asif of Kota, and Sadiq Sarraf of Baran in this case.

    The official said that during the investigation into the case registered in September 2022, it was learnt that the offices of the PFI at Jaipur and Kota were being used for organising terror training camps.

    These trainees, mostly young Muslim youth, were being radicalised and trained in the use of dangerous weapons, such as knives and swords, to attack, assault, and murder by targeting vulnerable points of the body, including the head, neck and chest.

    “Therefore, PFI offices at Jaipur and Kota have been attached under the provisions of UA (P) Act as the ‘proceeds of terrorism’. The properties attached by NIA today include the PFI office located at House No. 256, near Punjab National Bank, Moti Dungari Road, District – Jaipur, Rajasthan, and the PFI office, near Arakeen Badi Masjid, Madrasa Furkania, Lalji Ghati Ladpura Kota, Rajasthan,” the official, providing details, said.

    (Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • UAPA Tribunal upholds Centre’s decision to ban PFI and its affiliates

    UAPA Tribunal upholds Centre’s decision to ban PFI and its affiliates

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    New Delhi: The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) Tribunal on Tuesday upheld the Centre’s decision to ban Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates.

    According to the sources, the Tribunal has dismissed the allegations levelled by the organisation that one particular community is being targeted by the government.

    The judgement was passed by UPA tribunal headed by Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma.

    Lawyers associated with the case said that the Tribunal noted that the members of PFI and its affiliates are indulging in secessionist activities which were against the social fabric of the country.

    To justify the ban on the terror outfit, the Central government had examined and presented 100 witnesses and had also shown two videos on the activities of the organisation and its members, the lawyers said.

    The tribunal judgement was later sent to the Home Ministry.

    The Union Home Ministry had in September last year declared Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates an ‘Unlawful Association’

    It had said that PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been found to be involved in serious offences, including terrorism and its financing, targeted gruesome killings, disregarding the constitutional set-up of the country, disturbing public order etc. which are prejudicial to the integrity, security and sovereignty of the country.

    The Home Ministry said it found it necessary to curb the nefarious activities of the organization. It declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) along with its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as “unlawful association” under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )