PFI ban: Shaheen Bagh under security scanner, drones deployed; Ajmer Dargah Deewan welcomes govt action, says....

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New Delhi: With the central government putting a ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates for a period of five years, a heavy police presence was witnessed outside the PFI office in the Shaheen Bagh area here on Wednesday. The Delhi Police is extra-vigilant to prevent any untoward situation that may arise due to the Centre`s action. It is even using "drones" to keep an eye over the Shaheen Bagh area, besides patrolling the streets just next to the PFI office.

The PFI affiliates include Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), National Women`s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an "unlawful association".

Ten days ago, the police had already imposed section 144 in the entire Jamia Nagar area under which unlawful assembly of four or more people is prohibited.

Spiritual head of Ajmer Dargah welcomes govt decision 

The spiritual head of Ajmer Dargah Zainul Abedin Ali Khan welcomed the Centre's decision to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI) for its alleged terror activities. The Deewan of the shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti said the action was taken in compliance with the law and to prevent terrorism, adding that it should be welcomed by all.

Khan told PTI, "If the country is safe then we are safe, the country is bigger than any institution or idea and if someone talks about breaking this country, breaking the unity and sovereignty here, talks about spoiling the peace of the country, then he has no right to live here."

Citing earlier reports of "anti-national activities by PFI", the Ajmer Dargah deewan said the ban imposed on PFI is in the interest of the country, adding "Two years ago, I had first demanded that the government ban PFI." 

Chairman of All India Sajjadanashin Council Nasiruddin Khan also welcomed the step taken by the government and said, "No institution is bigger than the country." 

Notably, the central government has imposed a ban on the PFI and several of its associates for their alleged terror activities. The Centre's action came days after a countrywide crackdown on the 16-year-old PFI, arrest of over a hundred of its activities and seizure of several dozen properties. 

In a late Tuesday night notification, the Union Home Ministry said some of the PFI's founding members are the leaders of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Both JMB and SIMI are proscribed organisations. It further added that there had been many instances of international linkages of PFI with global terrorist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

(With PTI Inputs)