Centre declares PFI an unlawful association for five years

New Delhi: The central government on early Wednesday declared Polular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful associations with immediate effect, for a period of five years.

The notification declaring PFI an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was issued following two large scale raids across the country arresting around 300 PFI activitists.

The government notification said that the state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka had recommended to ban PFI.

The associates of PFI declared unlawful assocations include Rehab India Foundation(RIF), Campus Front of India(CFI), All India Imams Council(AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Org(NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Jr Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala.

The Union Home Ministry said the central government is of the opinion that the PFI and its affiliates have been involved in subversive activities, thereby disturbing public order and undermining constitutional set up of the country and encouraging and enforcing a terror-based regressive regime.

It continues "propagating anti-national sentiments and radicalising a particular section of society" with the intention to create disaffection against the country, it said.

"And whereas, the central government for the above-mentioned reasons is firmly of the opinion that having regard to the activities of the PFI, it is necessary to declare the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts to be unlawful association with immediate effect," the home ministry notification read.