The ban comes days after the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and various state/UT polices took nationwide, coordinated action against PFI in cases related to terror activities, terror funding, terror training and radicalization of vulnerable persons. dress. Hundreds of its leaders and activists have been arrested in the last few days in a multi-agency, multi-state swoop.
Eight “affiliates, affiliates or fronts” of PFI have also been banned as “unlawful associations”, Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imam Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO). ), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala.
The ban was recommended by the state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat, the Center said in a notification banning the PFI and its fronts.
Meanwhile, the Income Tax Department has also canceled the registration granted to PFI and Rehab India Foundation under section 12A or 12AA of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), as the same has been filed against deposits on behalf of PFI in respect of several are sources. The bank accounts were not supported by the financial profiles of the account holders and the activities of the PFI were not being carried out as per their stated objectives.
“The PFI and its affiliates or allies or fronts have been involved in violent terrorist activities with the intention of creating a reign of terror in the country, thereby threatening the security and public order of the State, and disrespecting the anti-national activities of PFI. and disregards the constitutional authority and sovereignty of the State and therefore requires immediate and prompt action against the organisation,” the Center said in a notification banning the PFI and its front organisations.
It states that it is of the opinion that unless banned, they will continue their subversive activities, which will cause disturbance of public order and undermine the constitutional structure of the country; encourage and implement regressive terror based regime; Continuing to propagate anti-national sentiments and radicalize a particular section of the society with the intention of creating discontent against the country; and increasing such activities which are injurious to the integrity, security and sovereignty of the country. The Center said it is of the firm view that it is necessary to declare the PFI and its allies as “unlawful associations” with immediate effect.
The Center shared its assessment in the notification banning PFI that PFI has formed an ally or a ally or a front with the aim of expanding its reach among different sections of the society such as youth, students, women, imams, lawyers or weaker sections. Society with the sole objective of expanding its membership, influence and ability to raise funds.
Describing the relationship between the PFI and its frontal organizations as ‘hub and spoke’, the Center said that the PFI acts as a hub, to strengthen its capacity for illegal activities, its affiliates or associates or Harnesses the collective reach and fundraising potential of fronts and these allies or fronts act as the ‘root and capillary’ through which PFIs are nurtured and strengthened.
Fronts, on the other hand, openly work as socio-economic, educational and political organization, but working towards undermining the concept of democracy to radicalize a particular section of the society and show sheer disrespect to constitutional authority. Chasing a secret agenda to show. The founding of the country, it added.
“The PFI and its affiliates 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 the public peace and communal harmony of the country and support extremism in the country, “The notification stated.
The Center said that the leaders of banned organizations like Students Islamic Movement of IndiaSIMI) and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were the founders of PFI. In addition, there are many examples of PFI’s international links with global terror organizations such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The notification said, “The PFI and its allies or allies or fronts are working covertly to increase the radicalization of a community by promoting a sense of insecurity in the country, which is evidenced by the fact that some PFI cadres have joined international terrorist organizations.” ,
Arguing behind the banning of the PFI and its fronts as an ‘unlawful association’, the Center said that the PFI is involved in several criminal and terror cases and shows sheer disregard for the constitutional right of the country and money and ideologies from outside. With support it has become a staple. threat to the internal security of the country.
Further, investigations in various cases have revealed that PFI and its activists have repeatedly indulged in violent and subversive acts. It cited the famous Kerala palm-cutting case, where a college professor’s palm was cut off by his activists; Brutal killings of individuals affiliated with organizations professing other religions and obtaining explosives to target prominent people and places and destruction of public property.
Further citing specific terror acts and killings in which PFI cadres have been involved, the notification names the victims. These include Sanjeet (Kerala, November 2021), V Ramalingam, (Tamil Nadu, 2019), Nandu, (Kerala, 2021), Abhimanyu (Kerala, 2018), Bibin (Kerala, 2017), Sharath (Karnataka, 2017). R Rudresh (Karnataka, 2016), Praveen Pujari (Karnataka, 2016), Shashi Kumar (Tamil Nadu, 2016) and Praveen Nettaru (Karnataka, 2022). “The criminal activities and brutal killings by PFI cadres have been committed with the sole purpose of disturbing the public peace and tranquility and creating a reign of terror in the minds of the people,” it said.
Elaborating on PFI’s international relations, the Center said that some activists of PFI had joined ISIS and participated in terrorist activities in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of these PFI cadres belonging to ISIS have been killed in these conflict theaters and some have been arrested by the state police and central agencies. In addition, the PFI has links with Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
Giving an account of alleged terror funding activities by the office-bearers and cadres of PFI, the Center said that they, along with others, are conspiring and diverted from India and abroad through banking channels, and hawala, donations etc. Raising money as Criminal conspiracy hatched, and then transferred, layering and amalgamating through multiple accounts to project these funds as legitimate and eventually use these funds to carry out various criminal, illegal and terrorist activities in India.
watch Government bans People’s Front of India: Know about the group’s history and how its terror links were revealed