PFI ban: CPI(M) and Congress in Kerala demand similar crackdown on RSS
The statement has come after the Centre ordered the blocking of websites and social media accounts of the Popular Front of India and its eight affiliates just hours after they were banned under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala on Wednesday said majority communalism and minority communalism were equally dangerous and banning a few selected outfits will not do any good.
The statement has come after the Centre ordered the blocking of websites and social media accounts of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its eight affiliates just hours after they were banned under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Several Congress leaders in Kerala even sought a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“All kinds of communalism are dangerous. Banning an organisation will not end its ideology. They will return with a new name or identity. If you go by logic of banning all communal outfits, the RSS comes first. Will it also be banned?” asked CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan.
He claimed the RSS was equally responsible for spreading hatred in society [as those banned], and that it was behind many violent incidents in the country.
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The BJP has come down heavily on the CPI(M), and said it was natural for the party to ‘get hurt’ after one of its allies was banned.
“We all know both share power in many municipalities and panchayats in Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts. The PFI grew in Kerala with tacit support of the CPI(M). In north Kerala, many PFI leaders have close association with the CPI(M),” said BJP state president K Surendran.
He asked chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to drop state port minister Ahamad Deverkoil, who represented the Indian National League (INL), from the government alleging he was closely associated with the banned Rehab India Foundation (RIF).
“It is a shame a banned organisation’s office bearer is in the cabinet. He should be sacked immediately,” said Surendran, adding that the RIF website still shows Deverkoil is its vice-president.
But INL secretary Kasim Irikoor said some party leaders were earlier associated with Rehab India but they ended their affiliation after some fundamentalist outfits took control of it. “Surendran’s charges are baseless. He is trying to put the whole community under smoke screen citing wrong doings of certain people,” he said.
State opposition leader VD Satheesan and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala have sought a ban on RSS. “The RSS is the biggest communal outfit in the country. Its ideology is based on hatred and violence. If PFI is banned, RSS should also be banned,” said Satheesan.
The Muslim League, a staunch ally of the Congress in the state, is divided over the ban on PFI. While former minister and senior leader MK Muneer hailed the decision, party MP ET Mohammad Basheer said banning an outfit will not end its ideology. “The PFI was misleading Muslim youth for many years. All should condemn its extremist ideology and it should not take rebirth in some other names,” Muneer said.