Jharkhand govt bans Popular Front of India

The Jharkhand government Tuesday banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) in the state to curb its anti-national activities and for keeping links with terror outfits like ISIS, a government notification said.

According to the government notification the PFI is banned with immediate effect under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1908.

The notification says that becoming a member of PFI, giving donation or keeping literature of its extremist policy or publishing them is illegal.

The decision to ban PFI has been taken after a review that its activities have increased and is dangerous to the state and the nation and it has the power to disrupt peace, communal harmony and secular structure, an official said.

The PFI has been involved in spreading social division, anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans, links with ISIS and JMB.

There are several cases against the PFI in the state at different places for indulging in violent activities and anti-national slogans.

Earlier, the Jharkhand government had on February 12, 2018 banned the PFI. However, the Jharkhand High Court on August 28 set aside the government notification saying it had not been published in the gazette after PFI member Abdul Badud challenged the order banning the organisation.