BJP leader appeals NIA, Police to remain vigilant on PFI activities in Goa

Panaji (Goa) [India], October 7 (ANI): BJP leader Savio Rodrigues on Friday appealed National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Goa Police to continue to remain vigilant on the activities of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in the state.
PFI has been banned by the Central government for a period of five years.
"NIA and Goa Police must continue to remain vigilant on PFI activities in Goa. PFI over the years has been receiving tacit support from politicians and minority religious institutions in the state. Financial trail of PFI linked NGOs and NGOs supporting PFI in Goa must be tracked," he said in a tweet.
In a video message, Rodrigues claimed that PFI in Goa has been over the years receiving tacit support from politicians and minority religious institutions.
"PFI was banned because it was working against the interest of India in particular national security. PFI has not been banned because it is a Muslim organisation as propagated by some with vested interests to stir communal interests," the BJP leader said.
Urging the intelligence agencies to track the financial trail, Rodrigues, said, "The investigative agencies must follow the financial trail and track PFI, PFI-linked NGOs directly and NGOs who have supported PFI activities in the state."
Rodrigues further appealed to the Muslims in Goa not to fall prey to the propaganda and stated, "PFI is nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing and did not work in the interest of the Indian Muslims."
On September 28, the Government of India invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and declared a ban on PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect for a period of five years.
"PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts operate openly as a socio-economic, educational, and political organization but, they have been pursuing a secret agenda to radicalize a particular section of the society working towards undermining the concept of democracy and show sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority and constitutional set up of the country," said a government notification.
The notification had said that PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty, and security of the country and have the potential to disturb public peace and communal harmony of the country and support militancy in the country.
It had further said that some of the PFI's founding members are the leaders of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), both of which are proscribed organisations.
There have been a number of instances of international linkages of PFI with global terrorist groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS); the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been working covertly to increase the radicalization of one community by promoting a sense of insecurity in the country, which is substantiated by the fact that some PFI cadres have joined international terrorist organisations, said the notification. (ANI)