Kota (Raj), Feb 17 (PTI) The Popular Front of India on Thursday held a public meeting in Rajasthan’s Nayapura area to mark its foundation day, with the opposition BJP accusing the state government of “legitimising the radical outfit” by permitting it to organise such events.
The Kota district administration had rejected the outfit’s demand for a rally, but allowed the public meeting in a stadium provided all COVID-19 protocols were followed. “ADM city granted permission to Popular Front of India (PFI) to hold the meeting with Covid protocol in the stadium, but the permission for a march in the city was not given,” Kota collector Harimohan Meena told PTI.
A large number of workers associated with PFI held the meeting at Ummed Singh Stadium, said DSP, Nayapura, Kaluram Verma, adding that the event went off peacefully.
The PFI workers assembled outside Chambal garden and displayed banners with slogans like “Hijab par hamla, Nagrik Adhikaro par hamla” (Attack on Hijab is attack on civilian rights).
Targeting RSS and other Hindu outfits, the speakers in the meeting expressed concern over elements adversely affecting the democracy. They said such meetings and rallies will continue to be organised in various cities of the country till August 15.
Meanwhile, the opposition BJP hit out at the ruling Congress in the state for permitting the event and accused it of “legitimising the radical outfit”, saying the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had banned PFI.
In a press statement in Jaipur, state BJP president Satish Poonia said PFI is the same organisation which has been blacklisted and named in several “anti-national” activities.
“It is no longer reasonable for the state Congress government to allow the outfit to take out rally and hold public meetings in the state,” it stated.
Poonia added that the fear of losing vote bank seemed to have prompted the state government to allow PFI to hold the meeting.
The Popular Front of India, an Islamic organisation, was formed in Kerala in 2006. The outfit is banned in several states.
PTI CORR SRY
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