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New Delhi, October 22 (IANS) The Popular Front of India (PFI) may have been banned for more than three years, but intelligence agencies have received information related to a new strategy.
While many people were arrested before the ban, many remained underground. They have now been instructed to join social organizations and political organizations. These unknown faces who dodged the agencies are now joining political organizations and other groups, because PFI wants its ideology to remain intact.
There has been no ground activity by the organization since the ban. However, a faction of it has been entrusted with the task of maintaining the ideology. This is a clear indication that a revival plan is underway, and that members sympathetic to the organization have come under increased scrutiny.
The agencies are concerned that the organization remains strong at the grassroots level, and that this can easily guide any revival. However, PFI may not attempt anything extraordinary immediately. It will take a few more years as they wait for the investigation to conclude.
PFI is following the script adopted by the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). SIMI was banned in the year 2001, and by the time it transformed into the Indian Mujahideen (IM), it was almost 2008.
SIMI had also asked her supporters to stay underground and not indulge in any activities since her ban. It also asked some of its members to join political parties and social organizations to keep the ideology alive. By the time it returned as IM, it had become an extremely powerful organisation.
The second issue troubling security officials is that PFI, like SIM, was not limited to just one particular state. When PFI started, it was limited to Kerala only. This was helped by the frequent visits of Wahhabi preachers from the Gulf countries. This helped him spread his ideology and helped him a lot in funding.
One official says the problem is that revival can happen anywhere. Over the years PFI had spread to many northern states and even had a very strong base in Bihar. This makes it challenging as the agencies have to keep an eye on many states and not just Kerala, as was the case earlier.
In addition, PFI also has several overseas modules operating largely in Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The modules here operate 29 bank accounts, and the funds can be used to revive the organization.
PFI also found a loophole when it launched its own political organisation, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). It is the only PFI affiliate that was not banned, as it is a registered political organization with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The SDPI, which was involved in violent clashes with the CPI(M) in Kerala this week, has largely focused on political activities. However, the organization is being monitored as agencies suspect that many of the PFI people who had gone underground may have joined SDPI to gain legal protection. Their movements are being monitored, an official said.
An official said that the situation is challenging if PFI members are adopting a political stance to seek legal asylum. It will be difficult to identify such persons and bring them to justice. However, such suspicious persons will be kept under close watch and their activities will be monitored. His social media posts, public speeches and other activities will require strict monitoring.
The challenge today is no overground activity, because there is none. Another officer said, when someone is involved in spreading an ideology and also tries to maintain it, then the job becomes extremely challenging for the security agencies.
–IANS
Vicky/SKP