Waiting for electronic evidence on PFI's role in stoking violence in Assam: Himanta Sarma

Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that the government is waiting for electronic evidence over the role of Popular Front of India (PFI) in stoking violence in the state.

"We are waiting for electronic evidence on PFI's role in stoking violence in Assam. A laptop has been seized which is with Central Forensic Lab. Once electronic evidence emerges, we will take a call on writing to Centre to ban PFI in the state," Sarma told ANI.

Meanwhile, state president of PFI Aminul Haque was arrested on December 18 last year.

The arrest was made in connection with the violence that erupted in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

A total of 46 cases have been registered, while 27 people were arrested in connection with vandalism in Guwahati district during the anti-CAA protests.

In December last year, the Assam Police had detained more than 3,000 people and arrested 190 persons for indulging in violent protests in the state over the amended citizenship law.

Protests had broken out in several parts of the country including Assam over CAA, which grants citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.