The fact that Kerala is notorious for being a hotbed for Naxalism and Islamic terrorism is an open secret now. However, once the local police began the investigations, they were in for a big surprise. Most of the folks who had escaped from the country to join ISIS were members of the separatist political outfit, PFI, i.e. Popular Front of India. PFI is the same outfit that is notorious throughout the country for its pro-terror, anti-Indian rhetoric, which has helped them secure a huge base not only in Kerala but also in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu etc.
To quote the press release of the Kerala Police, ‘PFI members K Sajjad and Anwar Poothappara went missing along with their families on November 19 after they told their relatives that they were going to Mysuru. TP Nisam, another youth from Kuruva in Kannur, has also been reported to be missing, and is believed to have joined the group.’
According to the police, it is this very trio, who has convinced seven other members from PFI to join the dreaded IS. Incidentally, Anwar is the brother of Muhammad Shameer T K, ex PFI division level leader from Pappinassery, who was believed to have been killed in Syria along with his children, way back in 2015.
According to a charge sheet filed on the Kannur case by National Investigation Agency, it was Shameer, who motivated other PFI members to join the dreaded terrorist outfit. Even though he is dead, his connections in Kannur are now being exploited by other people in order to bring out more recruits for the ISIS.
For those unaware, PFI is a separatist outfit with its seat in Kerala. From financing terror attacks in India to sending recruits for ISIS, you name it and PFI has done it. They have a special hatred for nationalists, including BJP and RSS workers, and have also been involved in most of their murders.
Curiously, most of the pseudo-secularists have also backed this outfit in order to cater to the sentiments of the Islamic community, from the Congress party to even the current CM of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy, who seems to have developed a special corner for PFI and SDPI as he met them soon after taking his oath as the CM of Karnataka.
Even Muhammad Hamid Ansari, the ex-Vice President of India, had no qualms in visiting an event organized by this terror outfit, while he criticized PM Modi’s government, for allegedly making ‘Indian Muslims feel unsafe.’ It is another matter altogether that he was trolled left, right and center for this visit.
As such, this is no surprise when we get to know of PFI members joining IS. However, it is now the responsibility of the Indian government to recognize the problem and act without hesitation against the terrorists, as well as their backers, who’re ready to put the nation in peril for the sake of gaining power. The ball is in their court.