Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. ANI
New Delhi: A day after the Centre declared Popular Front of India (PFI) ‘unlawful association’ and banned it for five years under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday welcomed the move and said that anyone with a “diabolical, divisive or disruptive design against India shall be dealt with iron fist”.
Taking to Twitter, the Assam Chief Minister said, “I welcome the ban on (Popular Front of India) PFI by the Government of India. The Government is firm in its resolve to ensure that anyone with a diabolical, divisive or disruptive design against India shall be dealt with iron fist. India of Modi Era is Decisive & Bold.,”
The Centre on Tuesday declared the PFI as an “unlawful association” with immediate effect for the next five years.
“Central government declares PFI (Popular Front of India) and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), for a period of five years,” a government notification read.
“PFI and its associates or affiliates have been indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country, and that they have the potential to disturb public peace and communal harmony of the country,” the notification added.
The decision to ban the outfit was taken after more than 170 people allegedly linked with the Popular Front of India (PFI) were detained or arrested in raids across seven states on Tuesday, five days after a similar pan-India crackdown against the group often accused of being linked to radical Islam.
Conducted mostly by state police teams, the raids were spread across Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Assam and Madhya Pradesh.
On 22 September, multi-agency teams spearheaded by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested 106 leaders and activists of the PFI in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. The NIA is investigating 19 cases involving the PFI.
With inputs from agencies
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