Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has distanced herself and her Trinamool Congress from the Popular Front of India (PFI), a Kerala-headquartered Muslim organisation that the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has sought a ban on.
TMC sources said that while Banerjee does not want to endorse the call for a ban, she has instructed the state police to keep the PFI “under control”.
Party leaders said the chief minister believes that the PFI will tie-up with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and could potentially divide her Muslim vote-bank, which, in turn, will benefit the BJP in West Bengal.
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BJP attacks TMC over MP ‘link to PFI’
The TMC has come under fire from the BJP after posters emerged claiming that the party MP from Murshidabad, Abu Taher Khan, was a guest speaker at a Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest rally organised by the PFI.
The rally was scheduled to be held at Murshidabad on 5 January but ThePrint has learnt that police have denied permission for the gathering.
Khan, however, told ThePrint that he was unaware of any such event and denied any links to the PFI.
“I am totally unaware of PFI using my name on the poster. I was never informed or consulted about this. I have no knowledge of it,” he said.
“Most importantly, we have been organising many protest programmes condemning the CAA and NRC. We do not need to take part in programmes organised by other groups. I have been falsely implicated in such a thing,” Khan added.
“I have not lodged any complaint against them (PFI organisers) but I have conveyed my disapproval to people concerned for holding such a meeting in Murshidabad.”
The poster also names Sujato Bhadra, a human rights activist known to be close to the TMC, as another speaker.
Bhadra told The Print that he was unaware that the meeting was organised by the PFI.
“I was requested to attend the meeting by a group of leaders who I have known for a long time. But I had no idea about the programme being organised by the PFI,” he said. “Anyway, it is not a banned organisation in the state. I will talk to the organisers as I do not attend any event organised under any political banner.”
The posters, however, have given the BJP ammunition to attack the TMC.
BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha accused the TMC of always acting against national security. “They always support forces that speak against the country’s integrity. We will send reports to the Centre about all these activities,” he said.
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Banerjee worried by rising PFI influence
The chief minister herself is worried by the PFI influence in the state. Sources in the government told ThePrint that after the anti-CAA and NRC protests turned violent in the Muslim-majority districts of Murshidabad and Malda, Banerjee instructed all police agencies to collect data and information about the members of the organisation and their activities.
A source said that police reports submitted to the state home department show the PFI has a strong organisational presence in Malda and Murshidabad.
“We have not started any case against the PFI but some of its members actively participated in the violence and arson attacks on the railway premises and public properties in Malda and Murshidabad districts,” a senior police officer told ThePrint.
“We have arrested some attackers who might have links to the PFI. We are probing this. So far, however, no senior PFI leader has been detained.”
The official pointed out that PFI was banned in Jharkhand but there is no plan for any such action in the state. “We do not have any case here to seek a ban on the organisation but we are closely watching their activities,” the officer said. “The organisation is also receiving some funds from other states. We are investigating this.”
PFI may divide Muslim votes
The ruling Trinamool Congress has had the backing of Muslims in both the 2016 assembly elections and the 2019 Parliamentary polls.
With the CPM and Congress systematically losing its grip on voters, Banerjee expects the Muslim votes to consolidate in her favour. She has also attacked parties that she believes could split the Muslim electorate.
In November, without naming the AIMIM, Banerjee said that a “group of leaders from Hyderabad” are bringing “extremism in Muslim politics” to Bengal. The AIMIM is based in Hyderabad and its chief Owaisi is a four-term Lok Sabha member from the city.
A TMC source said there are fears that the PFI and the AIMIM will unite for the 2021 assembly elections and split the Muslim vote in the state.
A senior PFI member, on the condition of anonymity, said the organisation has no plans as of now to tie up with the AIMIM.
“We are fighting on our own as Mamata Banerjee did not do much for the upliftment of Muslims,” he said, before speaking on the poster row.
“We were initially told that the MP will attend our meeting but now he has denied it. In fact, we are yet to get permission for the meeting,” he said. “Why this sudden crackdown? Is the ruling party scared of us?”
A TMC minister, however, dismissed the concerns. “The Trinamool Congress is not worried about such small groups. We know they are getting support and money from outside forces,” the minister said.
“We have the support of the people. Didi, in several meetings, has mentioned that the BJP is sending its plants to divide the state. We will fight against any such communal agenda.”
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