Karnataka CM Bommai says PFI shoud be banned

Bengaluru: Two persons with suspected links to the PFI were arrested by Karnataka police over the murder of a BJP youth wing leader Praveen Nettar, in Dakshina Kannada district which has sparked widespread outrage in the state.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai in an interview with Times Now said, "Popular Front of India (PFI) should be banned in India, for its anti-national activities, to create disharmony and communal violence in the state."

Bommai further said that PFI has been involved in murders and other nefarious activities, in which the state government has taken action and booked them.

As the BJP leadership in Karnataka grapples with the backlash from a section of the party cadres against its state top brass after the brutal killing of Praveen Nettar, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, if the situation demands, the "Yogi model" government in Uttar Pradesh will be adopted in the southern state too to deal with anti-national and communal elements trying to create unrest.

Police said the arrested accused have been identified as Zakir (29) and Mohammed Shafiq (27).

"Both are from Bellare, they have got suspected links with PFI - that we have to verify. We had taken them into custody last evening and after inquiry, we have arrested them. We will produce them before the court and ask for police custody and do further investigation," Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Alok Kumar said.