Abbreviation
PFI
22 November 2006
Muslim political mobilisation[3]
Countering Hindu nationalism[4]
India
OMA Abdul Salam
E.M Abdul Rahiman
Anis Ahmed
Banned for five years, beginning 28 September 2022
PFI was founded in 2006 with the merger of the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) and the National Development Front (NDF).[7][10] The organisation described itself as a "neo-social movement committed to empower people to ensure justice, freedom and security".[11] It advocates for Muslim reservations.[12] In 2012, the organisation conducted protests against alleged use of the UAPA law to detain innocent citizens.[13][14]
PFI has often been accused of involvement in anti-national and anti-social activities by the Indian Government. In 2012, the Government of Kerala claimed that the organization was a resurrection of the banned terrorist outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), an affiliate of the Indian Mujahideen.[15][16][17]
PFI has often been in violent clashes with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in parts of Kerala and Karnataka.[18] Activists have been found with lethal weapons, bombs, gunpowder, swords by the authorities. Several allegations have been made on the organization for having links with terrorist organizations[19] such as Taliban and Al-Qaeda.[20]
The organisation has various wings to cater to different sections of society, including the National Women's Front (NWF) and the Campus Front of India (CFI).[21] Including these wings, the ban by Ministry of Home Affairs extended to 8 affiliate organizations of PFI.
History
The PFI started in Kerala as successor to National Development Front in 2006. It went on to merge with the Karnataka Forum for Dignity of Karnataka and the Manitha Neethi Pasarai in Tamil Nadu and later in 2009, with Goa's Citizen's Forum, Rajasthan's Community Social and Educational Society, West Bengal's Nagarik Adhikar Suraksha Samiti, Manipur's Lilong Social Forum and Andhra Pradesh's Association of Social Justice.[22][23][24]
A common platform was formed in cooperation with the South India Council as an outcome of a regional discussion attended by Muslim social activists and intellectuals from the South Indian States at Bangalore on 25 and 26 January 2004. It has taken up the issue of reservation in government and private sector jobs and Parliament and Assemblies[25][26] and in cooperation with the Confederation of Muslim Institutions in India, it organised a two-day workshop on Muslim Reservations on 26 and 27 November 2005 at Hyderabad, inaugurated by Rajya Sabha member Rahman Khan.[27][28][29]
On accusations and counter charges
In 2012, PFI launched a nationwide campaign "Why the Popular Front", detailing the alleged false accusations and attempts by mainstream media and other organisations to tarnish its image.[107] The organisation maintains that it strives hard to restore the rights of the depressed and marginalised sections of the Indian society. Further, the organisation filed complaints with the Press Council of India against 10 newspapers—both Hindi and English—for their attempts to tarnish the image of the PFI.[108] In 2013, in line with the PFI's counter charge, "Coastal Digest" reported that the NIA and the IB denied that they had shared any such information, denying the claims by the media. This was in response to the 2012 complaints against 10 newspapers.[109] In March 2015, Indian intelligence agencies reported that the role of the PFI in the 2011 Mumbai bombings, 2012 Pune bombings and 2013 Hyderabad blasts had been found;[110] claims which were subsequently denied by the PFI.[111]
Political activities
National Political Conference
The public meeting on 17 February 2009 which marked the conclusion of National Political Conference saw the merger of social organisations in eight states into the PFI. Along with the state presidents of NDF Kerala, MNP Tamil Nadu and KFD Karnataka which had already merged with PFI, heads of social organisations in Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Manipur joined hands on the dais with the PFI chairman.[112][113]
Ban by Indian government
On 22 September 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) with other probe agencies conducted a large-scale midnight operation termed "Operation Octopus" in the premises of the organization across the country, on charges of terror-funding and money laundering. The raid resulted in the detaining of at least 100 PFI leaders and activists.[132]
The following day, PFI called hartals (strikes) in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which turned violent. In Kerala, the strike resulted in property damages worth approximately ₹5 crores and arrest of thousands of protestors.[133]
A second round of nationwide raids were carried out on 27 September 2022, resulting in further 247 activists being arrested.
On 28 September 2022, the Government of India declared PFI as "unlawful association" and temporarily banned the organisation for five years under the UAPA act. The government reasoned that the organisation was "prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country" and citied PFIs alleged connection with terror organisations like Students Islamic Movement of India, Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.[134]
PFI's 8 associate organisations Rehab India Foundation, Campus Front of India, All India Imams Council, National Confederation of Human Rights Organization, National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala were also banned.[135]