THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said the violence during the PFI-sponsored hartal in his state was “pre-meditated” and assured strict action against the culprits, while his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma batted for banning the Islamist outfit, whom the NIA accused of encouraging youth to join terrorist groups including the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
In Maharashtra’s Pune, “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans during a PFI protest drew the ire of the BJP, with a party MLA warning those who raised such slogans would not be spared. Days after the National Investigation Agency-led a multi-agency pan India raids against the Popular Front of India (PFI) for its alleged support to terror related activities, it said the documents seized during the nation-wide raids conducted at the outfit’s offices and its leaders contain highly incriminating materials targeting prominent leaders of a particular community.
In a remand report submitted before the NIA special court here seeking custody of 10 people in connection with a case registered here, the agency alleged the radical Islamist outfit encouraged youth to join terrorist groups including LeT and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
It said the PFI spreads “dis-affection against India by wrongful interpretation of government policies to the particular section of people” to create hatred against the state and its machineries. “During the investigation, based on materials collected, it has been disclosed that the accused named in the FIR were actively involved in the organised crimes and unlawful activities repeatedly, to terrorise other religious sections of the society, besides creating fear in the mind of general public based on the larger conspiracy hatched among themselves and others,” the report said.
“The seized documents also contain highly incriminating materials related to targeting of prominent leaders of a particular community. The Hit List seized clearly shows that the PFI, which is working through its leaders, members and associated have gone far ahead in creating atrocities among the community,” the report said.
With the state witnessing violence on Friday during the hartal called for by the PFI and being criticised by the BJP for the state government being “equally responsible,” Kerala CM Vijayan said strict action will be taken against the culprits behind the incidents.
“In yesterday’s hartal, led by the PFI, Kerala witnessed a pre-meditated violence. The state witnessed an organised and violent interference from their part resulting in huge loss to the state,” Vijayan said. Senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar lashed out at the ruling regime led by CPI(M) over the violence during the Friday protest, wondering why only Kerala witnessed such unruly scenes although PFI was raided across the country. He charged at the CPM government by saying that the violence was planned.