New Delhi: Amid allegations made by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stating that there is a big 'international conspiracy' to defame his government over Hathras case, intelligence agencies have warned the government to be more cautious towards foreign funds being received by the Popular Front of India (PFI) to expand their footprint in the state and parts of northern India.
The alert by intelligence agencies has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after the Uttar Pradesh police on Monday arrested four linked with the PFI in Mathura, while they were on their way to Hathras from Delhi.
In the alert sent to the MHA, intelligence agencies have said that after their activities in southern parts of the country, the sleeper cell members of PFI are expanding in National Capital Region (NCR), Uttar Pradesh and the outfit has past record of stoking violence in various states.
According to the UP police, the four men identified as Atiqur Rehman, Siddiqui, Masood Ahmed and Alam are linked to the PFI's student wing Campus Front of India (CFI). The police claimed that they have seized their mobile phones, laptops and some literature, which could disturb peace and stability in UP.
Read:4 people with PFI links going to Hathras arrested in Mathura: Cops
Meanwhile, the Popular Front of India condemned the arrest and said, "the arrest of Atiqur Rahman, Masood who are office-bearers of students organisation CFI, along with journalist Siddik Kappan is highly deplorable. The team was heading to Hathras to meet the family of the rape victim."
"The illegal arrest shows that in UP even intending to meet the family of the victim is now considered as a crime. To hide the failed law and order situation in UP, the BJP government has also tried to link PF to the protests that are happening across the country," said Anis Ahmed, general secretary, PFI.
In January, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh had sent a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs recommending a ban on the PFI. UP chief minister had accused the organisation of "masterminding and instigating violence" during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The PFI, set up in 2006, describes itself as a cadre-based movement, which is developed through routine, training and education regarding management, leadership and mass mobilisation. The organisation has its roots in National Development Front (NDF), but it is widely criticised for its involvement with banned terror outfit, Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Notably, most of the PFI office-bearers have had an association with SIMI before it was banned in 2001.
Also read:NCW notice to Malviya, Digvijaya, Swara over Hathras incident
