Congress irked at ban on PFI? Lok Sabha chief whip K Suresh wants RSS to be outlawed too

Sparking a massive row on Wednesday, Congress Lok Sabha MP Kodikunnil Suresh compared the Popular Front of India (PFI) to RSS. Speaking to the media on the PFI ban, Suresh who is the Chief Whip of Congress in the Lower House claimed that RSS also perpetuates communalism in the country. Making a flawed comparison between the two outfits, he contended that nothing will be achieved unless RSS is also banned by the Centre. 

Congress MP K Suresh opined, "We are also demanding a ban on RSS also. PFI ban is not a remedy. RSS is also indulging in communalism across the country. RSS is spreading Hindu communalism everywhere. RSS and PFI are equal. So, the government should ban both. Why only PFI? RSS is doing majority communalism. Wherever RSS is spreading majority communalism, minority communalism is also coming up. Ultimately, both communalism is dangerous." 

Centre bans PFI

In a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday, the PFI and its affiliate organizations were banned under UAPA for a period of 5 years. Besides the PFI, its affiliates- Rehab India Foundation, All India Imams Council, National Confederation of Human Rights Organization, National Women's Front, Junior Front, Campus Front of India, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala have been declared as "unlawful associations". This comes in the wake of massive pan-India raids against the PFI in which multiple people were arrested.

On September 22, the ED, NIA and state police conducted raids at 93 locations in 15 states - Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Bihar and Manipur. These searches were conducted at the houses and offices of the top PFI leaders and members in connection with 5 cases registered by the NIA. During the raids, incriminating documents, cash, sharp-edged weapons and a large number of digital devices were seized.

Moreover, a total of 45 PFI members including 19 from Kerala, 11 from Tamil Nadu, 7 from Karnataka, 4 from Andhra Pradesh, 2 from Rajasthan, and one each from UP and Telangana were arrested. As per sources, the operation was codenamed 'Operation Lotus' and involved months of planning and coordination with the involvement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. In the second phase of this operation a day earlier, more than 247 people allegedly linked with PFI were detained or arrested in searches across 7 states.