Maharashtra: BJP leaders Kirit Somaiya, Nitesh Rane thank PM Narendra Modi for imposing ban on PFI

Kirit Somaiya. File Pic

Maharashtra BJP leaders Kirit Somaiya and Nitesh Rane on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for banning PFI and its affiliate outfits for having terror links and demanded strong action against members connected to these outfits.

Extending his support to the government, Somaiya said the "anti-national activities" of these outfits will not be tolerated in India. Rane said the Centre's decision to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, was the "need of the hour".

"I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for banning the anti-national PFI," Somaiya said in a video. He said PFI was receiving terror funding from outside India.

"We support the Government of India's decision to ban PFI under UAPA. Fanaticism, anti-India activities, and terror funding by PFI and its activists have been exposed. Strong action must be taken against all activists connected with PFI," Somaiya said separately on Twitter.

Rane said the government should next ban the Islamic organisation Raza Academy.

Also Read: Enough evidence to show PFI sowed seeds of violence: Devendra Fadnavis

On Tuesday, the Home Ministry issued a notification, banning PFI and its associates for five years. It said these outfits operate openly as a socio-economic, educational and political organisation, "but, they have been pursuing a secret agenda to radicalise a particular section of the society working" to undermine the concept of democracy.

It said some of PFI's founding members are the leaders of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), both of which are proscribed organisations.

The ban was imposed after two rounds of nationwide raids, including in Maharashtra, on PFI earlier this month. More than 100 people linked to these outfits have been detained by authorities during these raids.

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