Popular Front of India may face action

Kerala-based Popular Front of India (PFI), which is accused for the murder of RSS leader R Rudresh in Bengaluru and involved in 'love jihad', may face action, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has indicated.

"We have taken cognizance of the issue and we have been getting information about it earlier also, but now after getting more information, we will take proper action in the national interest," Singh said in response to a sting operation by a news channel on PFI's activities.

With the sting operation suggesting that there is an increase in radicalisation efforts in Kerala, he said, "radicalisation is a global phenomenon, but I believe, it is less in India compare to other nations. I also believe that the rise in radicalisation is not in the interest of any nation."

The PFI, whose role come under scanner again following the controversial Hadiya case, had denied any wrongdoings.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had earlier submitted a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in which it had claimed that the PFI was running terror camps and making bombs. The agency had recommended that it is a fit case to invoke the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and ban it.

It had then said that PFI was involved in terrorist acts like Rudresh's murder, chopping of a professor's palm in central Kerala and organising a training camp in northern Kerala's Kannur from where country-made bombs and weapons were seized. The NIA also claimed the PFI had plans to carry out terror attacks with the help of Islamic State Al-Hindi.

PFI National Executive Council member P Koya had then said the agency never approached the outfit to know about its activities while denying its involvement in terror activities.