THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A plethora of Kerala leaders, cutting across political affiliations, have come out in support of the ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates.
Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Senior Congress leader AK Antony, said, "Ban is not a solution and it was inadequate."
Welcoming the decision, Opposition Leader VD Satheesan said, "Communal forces should be stopped where it matters," and alleged that the RSS is also spreading communalism.
Intensifying the attack against the RSS, former Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala also urged that the Sangh Parivar outfit should also be banned. He maintained that all communal forces should be opposed and RSS should also be banned.
Senior Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh took potshots against the RSS alleging that it is the Sangh Parivar that is helping minority communalist forces to flourish.
IUML senior legislator Dr MK Muneer claimed that the PFI is an outfit which misinterpreted religion, and hence it should be opposed by the community. "The youths who got carried away by the PFI should realise the ideas and mechanism behind it so that they stand corrected," he said.
The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday banned PFI and eight other organisations for five years. In addition to PFI, its affiliates 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.
Recently raids were conducted twice at PFI offices across the country which saw the offices and houses of their leaders also being searched.