Muslim Organisations Condemn Raids On Popular Front Offices, Arrests Of Its Leaders

Several Muslim organisations Thursday denounced the widespread raids conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the offices and homes of PFI state and district level leaders across 11 states and their subsequent arrests.

Over 100 top leaders and functionaries of the PFI including its chairman OMA Salam have been arrested by the central agencies in a nationwide clampdown on the organisation.

Condemning the arrests, the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) stated that the raids “look suspicious”, since the drive comes in the backdrop of the Union government’s stance against those opposing it in recent years. The group also accused the agencies of turning a blind eye to certain sections that openly indulge in hate-mongering and violence.

“Agencies like NIA can investigate people against whom they have clear evidence, but such actions should appear unbiased and free from political motivation. Are the NIA and ED following the standard operating procedure in the raids? The manner in which NIA and ED have made simultaneous raids across the country, targeting PFI, raises lots of questions for our society to answer,” JIH president Syed Sadatullah Husaini said in a press release.

“The operation has become suspicious, particularly in the backdrop of several actions by central government agencies against opposition groups and leaders in the last few years through various state agencies like NIA, ED, CBI, and the Police. This is hurting our democratic ethos and endangering the rights of citizens to criticise and appraise those in power. The action becomes questionable also because of the fact that action is not being taken against several groups openly indulging in hate-mongering and violence. Hence, these raids raise uncomfortable questions for society. Are the raids meant to appease a particular constituency? If that is the case, then is it not a kind of appeasement and vote-bank politics?”

The JIH stated that it abhors any such raids and activities in which people are harassed unfairly, regardless of whether they are members of the opposition, minorities, or any other socioeconomic class in society. “If the state agencies are taking coercive action against them in a biased manner without proof and justification, then it is not healthy for a vibrant and just society,” it said.

The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) dubbed the raids on PFI as an instance of “wanton abuse of power”. “The nationwide crackdown on members of Popular Front of India (PFI) is another instance of the government abusing the power of investigating agencies to clamp down on dissent. We appeal to all citizens who care about their freedoms to speak out against such wanton abuse of power,” read a statement by the group.

MK Faizy, National President of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) strongly slammed the raids and called for the immediate release of those arrested. “The craven fascist regime that has completely failed in the development of the nation is creating a shadow enemy of the country to cover up their failure in governance,” he said.

Campus Front of India (CFI) a student organisation called the raids “an attempt to suppress democratic voices.”

“The NIA – ED raid in PFI offices across the country and subsequent arrests of its leaders are highly condemnable. The central government has been using investigative agencies to target specific groups, organizations, and individuals,” said Shamseer Ibrahim, national president of Fraternity Movement.

“The politically driven raids must be stopped and the leaders must be released immediately,” he said.