Cannot support PFI ban; why are right-wing organisations not banned: Owaisi

How come PFI is banned, but organisations associated with convicts of Ajmer Dargah bomb blasts are not? Why has the government not banned right-wing majoritarian organisations, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi has asked

Vipin Vijayan

First Published Sep 28, 2022, 1:42 PM IST

At a time when most political parties have come out in support of the ban on the Popular Front of India, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi has said that ban cannot be supported.

Taking to Twitter hours after the Union Home Ministry banned the radical outfit for five years, Owaisi said that while he always opposed PFI's approach and supported the democratic approach, this ban on PFI cannot be supported.

Also Read: PFI ban: Centre issues 'takedown' orders for websites, social media accounts

Giving reasons for his refusal to support the ban, Owaisi said: "Actions of some individuals who commit a crime does not mean that the organisation itself must be banned. The Supreme Court has also held that mere association with an organisation is not enough to convict someone."

"But a draconian ban of this kind is dangerous as it is a ban on any Muslim who wishes to speak his mind. The way India's electoral authority is approaching fascism, every Muslim youth will now be arrested with a PFI pamphlet under India's black law, UAPA," he added.

Also read: PFI banned for five years, Government cites national security threat

He further said, "Muslims have spent decades in prison before being acquitted by courts. I have opposed UAPA & will always oppose all actions under UAPA. It runs afoul of the principle of liberty, which is part of the basic structure of the constitution. We should remember that Congress amended UAPA to make it stringent & when BJP amended the law to make it even more draconian, Congress supported it. This case will follow the timeline of Kappan, where any activist or journalist is randomly arrested & takes two years to even get bail. How come PFI is banned, but organisations associated with convicts of Ajmer Dargah bomb blasts are not? Why has the government not banned right-wing majoritarian organisations?"

Also Read: PFI banned in India: BJP lauds home ministry's decision, says strong and timely action by Centre

Also read: Not just PFI, 8 of its fronts have also been banned; Here's why

Last Updated Sep 28, 2022, 1:42 PM IST