As per a report by Livemint, the workers of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of Popular Front of India (PFI), spread fake messages and videos in order to organize a protest of migrant workers in Kottayam district.
The fake videos and messages claimed that the migrant workers in Delhi were provided buses by Delhi and UP government, because they gathered in large numbers and protested. The protest, organized on Sunday in Kerala with thousands of workers, is the biggest organizing of large number of people since the announcement of 21 days lockdown by union government.
The Communist government in Kerala, which has traditionally given shelter to Maoist and Islamist activists, is ‘alarmed’ over blatant violation of lockdown. CM Pinarayi Vijayan wrote a Facebook post in Hindi and English warning that ‘anti-social elements’ of the state are misusing the situation to jeopardize the harmony, and warned that such people would be dealt with tough measures. The police has already registered case against 2,000 migrants and seized 20 mobile phones with fake messages and videos.
“Clear indication on the antisocial elements who had tried to take advantage of the situation and thereby created incidents like Payippad have come out. We even kindly urge them not to misuse this situation anymore and jeopardise the harmony of the state. Please do not hurt our land for your petty gains. The government will do everything to make sure they face the law of the land without any fail,” wrote Vijayan in the post.
The Communist parties, which provided the bread and butter for survival to Maoist and Islamist groups for decades, are now worried over their activities, as these groups now seem ‘uncontrollable’ to them.
Previously, P Mohanan, the leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had warned against the ongoing alliance between Islamic extremist outfits and Maoists. “There is a bonhomie between Muslim terror outfits and Maoists. National Development Front (NDF) and Islamic fundamentalists are very enthusiastic about supporting Maoists,” said Mohanan.
CPM’s district secretary said that Kozhikode has become a hotbed of Maoist activities in the state, and the police should launch a probe against the Islamic outfits. “Islamic terrorists are now encouraging Maoists in Kerala. The strength of Maoists is Muslim terror outfits who are nurturing them by offering water and fertilizer. Police should probe this angle, “said Mohanan.
The Communist government also slapped UAPA charges against two Muslim CPM activists for allegedly having links with Maoists. Alan Suhaib and Taha Fazal were jailed for condemning the killing of four Maoists in Palakkad district of Kerala.
But so far, the government has not taken tough measures, like ban on the Maoist groups and Islamist groups like PFI, and their political wing, because, there is widespread support for these groups within the party.
Maoist activities on Kerala border are actively being supported by National Development Front (NDF), a Muslim outfit set up in 1994 in Kerala. In 2016, NDF was merged with Popular Front of India (PFI), the Islamic extremist outfit infamous for issuing death threats to many prominent individuals. The stated objective of NDF is to “focus on socio-economical issues of minorities giving a focus to Kerala Muslims in Kerala”.
PFI, currently under investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for various serious charges, was banned by the Jharkhand government over their alleged links with the Islamic State (IS). But so far, no other state government or the central government has stepped in the direction of putting complete ban on PFI. The terrorist group was also involved Delhi riots and organized the whole anti-CAA protest in many north Indian cities.
Reports of PFI forming its own ‘army’ and their direct links with Pakistan’s ISI have also surfaced. Such a radical organisation operating freely and posing danger to national security and the Indian ethos certainly calls for firm action by the government agencies to curb their subversive activities. Moreover, one of the larger political group, the Congress openly mingling which such an outfit is also worrying, however it remains to be seen how the security forces tackle this challenge of such organisations which have devised nefarious plans to exploit the open and welcoming nature of Indian society and democracy to forward their radical agenda.
The CPM government should take strong action against the illegal and unconstitutional activities of PFI, and the Maoists. The central government should impose an immediate ban on PFI.