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Updated September 28th, 2022 at 14:17 IST

On PFI ban, Congress says it is against all forms of communalism, 'majority or minority'

Reacting to the PFI ban, Congress said it is against all institutions that abuse religion to polarise society and misuse it to spread hate, bigotry and violence

Reported by: Gloria Methri
Congress on PFI ban
Image: PTI/ANI | Image:self
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Issuing its first response to the Centre's ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI), Congress on Wednesday said it is against all institutions that abuse religion to polarise society and misuse it to spread hate, bigotry, and violence. In a statement, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary communications Jairam Ramesh said his party is against all forms of communalism.

"The Congress has always been and will continue to be against all forms and types of communalism, majority or minority makes no difference. Congress' policy has always been to uncompromisingly fight all ideologies and institutions that abuse religion to polarise our society, that misuse religion to spread prejudice, hate, bigotry, and violence," he said in a statement.

Ramesh said this fight is of utmost priority to preserve, protect and celebrate the secular and composite construct of society and nationhood.

PFI banned in India for five years

Earlier today, the Central government banned the Popular Front of India, which has allegedly been involved in a series of violence and has "links" with global terror groups like ISIS. The Centre also outlawed several PFI associates for five years, following the second round of crackdown against its leaders.

The organisations which have been declared banned under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA include - Rehab India Foundation, Campus Front of India, All India Imams Council, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation, National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation, and Rehab Foundation, Kerala.

The ban came after over 150 people allegedly linked with PFI were detained or arrested in raids across seven states on Tuesday, five days after a similar pan-India crackdown against the 16-year-old group had led to the arrest of over a hundred of its activities and seizure of several dozen properties.

In a late Tuesday night notification, the Union Home Ministry said some of the PFI's founding members are the leaders of the Students Islamic Movement of India and the PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Both JMB and SIMI are proscribed organisations.

(With agency inputs)

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Published September 28th, 2022 at 14:17 IST

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