Amid crackdown on PFI, Raj Thackeray seeks an 'end to disease of anti-national elements'

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Saturday reacted to functionaries of  Popular Front of India allegedly raising 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans against crackdown, codenamed 'Operation Octopus'. MNS chief Raj Thackeray, taking to Twitter, said that anti-national slogans will not be tolerated, or dealt with silence. He called for an urgent end to the 'disease of anti-national elements'.

As part of Operation Lotus, multi-agency raids spearheaded by NIA  on September 22 led to the arrest of 106 activists of the Popular Front of India in 11 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. In a remand report submitted before the NIA special court, the agency alleged the PFI spreads "dis-affection against India by wrongful interpretation of government policies to the particular section of people" to create hatred against the state and its machineries.

It also alleged, based on evidence collected, that the arrested PFI members were "actively involved in the organised crimes and unlawful activities repeatedly", to terrorise other religious sections of the society, besides creating fear in the mind of the general public based on the larger conspiracy. 

Raj Thackeray calls for end to disease of anti-national elements

Against this backdrop, Raj Thackeray in an elaborate post on the microblogging site said, "The government should immediately put to stop such activities. The NIA raided the PFI and arrested many of its members. Why were they arrested? The reason being they were funding terror activities in the country. This is such a serious issue, in short, this is an anti-national activity."

Pertinently, in the remand copy, the NIA also alleged that the the PFI encouraged youth to join terrorist groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

"Whilst the arrest was being made, these functionaries were shouting slogans about their religion, and reminiscing Pakistan; if such is their mental state, then take your religion and go to Pakistan. Such kind of drama is not going to be tolerated in this country," the MNS supremo further said in the post.