The Popular Front of India (PFI), which is an Islamic extremist organisation known to stoke communal discord and subsequent violence across the country at the drop of a hat has now been reportedly caught in the act for organising the late-night Bengaluru mob violence, in which three Islamist hooligans were gunned down, and many injured. 60 police personnel too sustained injuries, and public and private property witnessed immense damage due to the violence of the indoctrinated and radical mob, which proudly gesticulated as it shouted violent slogans.
The political arm of the PFI – the SDPI, for reasons best known to India’s security establishment is allowed to indulge in politics within the country. The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), which is just as extremist an organisation as they come, has its workers and sympathisers currently locked up in Bengaluru for organising and effectuating violence on the streets. Over 180 people, many affiliated to the PFI and SDPI have been arrested for being conspirators and participants to the planned frenzy by a violent mob of thousands of Muslims on Tuesday night.
SDPI leader Muzamil Pasha has been arrested by Bengaluru Police for his role in the mob violence which took place in DJ Halli police station area. Karnataka Minister CT Ravi termed it a ‘planned riot’ saying that within an hour of a post on social media thousands of people gathered and damaged 200-300 vehicles and the MLA’s residence. “We’ll take serious action. It was an organised incident and SDPI is behind it,” he added.
Muzamil Pasha is eyeing the post of Corporator from the Sagayapuram ward in the upcoming civic body polls to the BBMP from an SDPI ticket. Interestingly, the nephew of local Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, who was at the receiving end of flimsy Islamist outrage for a retaliatory comment made on Facebook is also aiming the corporator’s post from the same ward. Muzamil Pasha, therefore, spread word about the comment by the MLA’s nephew, and soon, thousands of agitated Muslims were out on the streets.
Reportedly, the Karnataka government is also actively deliberating on the prospect of banning the fundamentalist organisations – PFI and SDPI. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said, “There is a procedure to follow. The PFI and SPDI are blamed for the violence in Mangaluru and were also held responsible for stabbing Congress MLA Tanveer Sait in the neck last year, and many have sought a ban on them.” He added, “There are provisions under the law where one is allowed to ban those who indulge in subversive or anti-national activities. We will explore that. A good number of those arrested are office-bearers, members and supporters of the PFI and SDPI.”
Notably, the Karnataka government has also decided to extract compensation from the rioters for the intense damage they caused to public and private property. The government will auction the properties of the rioters to recover the damage their flimsy outrage caused to public and private property in Bengaluru.
While the Karnataka government is considering a ban on these grossly Islamist and effectively violent organisations, there is no reason as to why the Centre should not do the same. The biggest Islamist danger perhaps, after Kashmir, is posed by the PFI and its subsidiary political arm, the SDPI. The PFI’s explicit involvement in the anti-CAA agitation across the country, and subsequent violence has been clearly established. Moreover, the organisation has also been found by the Delhi Police for having organised the Northeast Delhi anti-Hindu riots of February this year.
The PFI and SDPI have been spreading their fundamentalist tentacles all across South India, particularly Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In Karnataka, the Congress faces tough competition from the SDPI in minority-dominated constituencies, as the Islamist organisation seriously eats into the Grand Old Party’s minority vote share.
While the Congress’ electoral prospects are being severely hurt by the SDPI in Karnataka at least, the Congress seems to share a rather financial relationship with the PFI. Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal received Rs. 77 lakhs from the fundamentalist organisation, and the same was revealed at a time when the manufactured anti-CAA agitation was at its peak in the country. Sibal defended himself saying that the payments were in relation to his services rendered during 2017-18.
The PFI’s capability to stoke communal discord and unprecedented violence across the country has been well established. As such, it is not wise for the union government to wait for another riot to be organised by the organisation for them to start deliberating upon the prospect of banning the PFI. The Popular Front of India must be banned immediately, and their members and sympathisers too must be taken to task. The PFI finds supporters in the likes of Umar Khalid, who played an active role in organising the Delhi riots earlier this year alongside former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain. The PFI, by Hussain’s own admission, funded the said anti-Hindu riots to ‘teach Hindus a lesson’.
There is no reason as to why such an organisation must be allowed to flourish in India. The only contribution of the PFI and its members to India has been jihadi violence. Taking a cue from the Karnataka government, the organisation must be obliterated across the nation.