OREANDA-NEWS The Indian government has banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliate organizations for five years on charges of funding terrorism.The development came following two rounds of nationwide raids and arrests of more than 300 people linked to the organization or its affiliated Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).The Federal Home Ministry, in a gazette notification, declared the PFI and its affiliate organizations an “unlawful association” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) as it cited the Islamic group’s links with the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Islamic State or ISIS.The ministry also delegated powers to states and Union Territories to act against PFI and its affiliates under the anti-terror law.Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politicians have supported the decision as they said that it is a “bold and decisive” decision by PM Modi's government and a move that sends a message to all “anti-national groups" that they will not survive in this country.

Calling the Islamic organization an incarnation of SIMI (the banned Student’s Islamic Movement of India), Karnataka State Chief Bommai said that the people of the country as well as all political parties including the opposition have been demanding a ban on the PFI for a long time.Top Hindu organization Vishwa Hindu Parishad also welcomed the move as its national spokesperson said: “This (Popular Front of India) was a clan of terror, whose terrorism cannot be finished until and unless you destroy its clan.”However, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen called for a fair probe as its Maharashtra unit president Imtiaz Jaleel said that agencies should come out with details of what illegalities were being committed by an organization whose youth are being arrested in large numbers.Security has been beefed up in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states in order to avoid any untoward incident.‘Operation Octopus’: Largest Ever Crackdown on PFINotably, Indian investigative agencies had launched the “largest ever” crackdown on the Islamic group on September 22, when officials raided at least 93 locations in 15 states and held more than 100 members who were allegedly associated with it.A week later, on September 27, federal agencies along with state police also conducted raids in eight states, targeting top PFI members.More than 200 people including PFI chairman O.M.A Salam, Kerala PFI chief C.P. Mohammed Basheer, national secretary V.P. Nazarudheen, and national council member P. Koya have been taken into custody.According to media reports, the searches are carried out against those allegedly involved in funding terrorist activities, organizing training camps, and recruiting citizens for proscribed groups.The raids on September 22 triggered massive protest by PFI sympathizers in different parts of the country.