New Delhi: Congress leader Tariq Anwar on Wednesday sought action against "all those organizations who are working on communal lines", adding that the Centre should not "pick and choose".
In a special conversation with ETV Bharat over the Centre's ban on the Popular Front of India and several of its associates under a stringent anti-terror law, accusing them of having "links" with global terror groups like ISIS, Anwar said that "several other organizations are also responsible for communal tension and hatred in society". If there is some substantial evidence against the PFI (Popular Front of India), then action taken by the govt is justified," he said.
Anwar further demanded that the Centre should take action against other organizations like the Bajrang Dal, and Hindu Sena also, "which are clear-cut fundamentalist organizations spreading hatred, disturbing communal harmony, and creating division in the society".
"Actions should be taken against all those organizations who are working on communal lines. The govt should not 'pick and choose," he added. Meanwhile, the All India Congress Committee general secretary of communications Jairam Ramesh while reacting to the ban on PFI said his party is against all forms of communalism.
He said that his party is against "all ideologies and institutions that abuse religion to polarise society and misuse it to spread hate, bigotry, and violence. "The Congress has always been and will continue to be against all forms and types of communalism - majority or minority makes no difference," Jairam Ramesh said.
"The Congress' policy has always been to uncompromisingly fight all ideologies and institutions that abuse religion to polarise our society, that misuse religion to spread prejudice, hate, bigotry, and violence," he said in a statement. His statement came after the Centre banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates, including the Rehab India Foundation (RIF) and Campus Front of India, for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs in a statement said the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts are "involved in serious offenses, including terrorism and its financing, targeted gruesome killings, disregarding the constitutional set up of the country, disturbing public order, etc. which are prejudicial to the integrity, security, and sovereignty of the country".
"Therefore, the Ministry of Home Affairs found it necessary to curb the nefarious activities of the organization and has hence declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) along with its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an “unlawful association” under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967", the central government said.
Also read: Govt bans PFI, associates for alleged terror activities
