'Vilified for our stand against Sangh Parivar ideology'

The Popular Front of India (PFI) on Sunday accused the central government of repression and tarnishing its image as a consequence of its "consistent stand" against the "fascist ideology of Sangh Parivar".

The PFI was formed in 2006 as a successor to the National Democratic Front (NDF) in the form of a federation. It is constituted of Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) [Karnataka], NDF, and Manitha Neethi Pasarai (MNP) [Tamil Nadu].

"The attempts are being made by using certain agencies under the control of the central government and aim at tarnishing the image of the organisation," the PFI said in a statement.

"Certain sections of the media are playing up to this plot by pro-actively stamping the 'terrorism tag' based on some allegedly leaked NIA reports. This vilification campaign is seen as an attempt to create a stereotype amongst people to later justify the repression," it added.

According to the group, the alleged National Investigation Agency (NIA) report referred to two local cases in Kerala and neither "can be quoted as terrorism".

"In one case, the trial court found that neither Popular Front as an organisation nor its leadership are involved and, in the other case, Kerala High Court has quashed the UAPA sections and the Supreme Court refused to admit any appeals by the NIA to set aside the Kerala High Court order," it said.

Also accused of having links with the banned terror organisation Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), PFI rubbished the charge as baseless saying that its own predecessor was formed in 1993 while SIMI was banned in 2001.

"The SIMI regrouping theory is also absurd and has been rebutted in the past. The National Development Front, the predecessor of Popular Front, was formed in 1993 whereas the SIMI ban was announced in 2001," it said.

The group claimed that the current campaign against it was a mere red herring to "divert people's attention from the media exposures of the failures of government".

--IANS

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