The controversial civil society outfit ‘People’s Union for Civil Liberties’ (PUCL) called on Thursday that the ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) be lifted and that all detained individuals be released. PUCL is a fraternal organization of the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR). The People’s Union for Civil Liberties is the same organisation that has substantial links to Maoists, as OpIndia reported earlier.
The PUCL stated in a release that a dialogue with the PFI should be started. The organisation demanded that the authorities refrain from using their arrest powers arbitrarily to target Muslim youths based on their involvement or support of the PFI and its affiliates.
PUCL condemns the Mass Raids, the Arrests of PFI leadership and cadre and the Ban on the PFI
— PUCL India (@PUCLindia) September 29, 2022
Click here to read the full statement by PUCL: https://t.co/q9q3s63VKE
It urged that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the NIA Act be repealed, but that in the meantime, the NIA Act be altered to guarantee that the State government concerned was contacted and approval was obtained before the NIA conducted a search or arrested a resident of that State.
According to the PFI, the PUCL stated that approximately 300-400 members of its cadre had been apprehended, with nearly the whole senior leadership and the Social and Democratic Party of India (SDPI) being detained.
The statement by PUCL reads, “The PUCL is deeply concerned about the implications for democracy and the constitutional rights of freedom of speech and association in the light of the ongoing ‘Operation Octopus’ which is being carried out against the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates, across the country as a joint operation of the CRPF, the home ministry, ATS, NIA, ED, RAW, State police, and other agencies. It has consisted of mass raids being carried out in two rounds, in more than 16 states of India over hundreds of locations and with over 300 arrests.”
“The raids, which have been conducted as a media spectacle showcasing massive state power, bodes ill for a constitutional democracy based on rule of law, pushing the Muslim community further into fear, intimidation, alienation, and silence,” it further adds.
PUCL and its ties with Urban Naxals
PUCL is a fraternal organization of the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR). The People’s Union for Civil Liberties is the same organisation that has extensive links to Maoists. ‘Urban Naxals’ who were arrested in the Elgar Parishad case and in connection with an alleged assassination plot against the Prime Minister are intimately linked with the PUCL. The PUCL and its associate organisations have a history of ties to Naxals and separatists in Kashmir as well as Manipur.
Over the years, numerous members of the organisations have been arrested for their links to Maoists. One of those raided in connection with the violence at Bhima Koregaon, Sudha Bharadwaj, is the General Secretary of the Chhattisgarh unit of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).
Father Stan Swamy was also associated with the PUCL. The narrative that PUCL propagates is quite often antithetical to a layman’s idea of civil society. Although the link is broken, on its website, it can be seen that the organization condemned the hanging of the Islamic terrorist Afzal Guru.
As per the report of Delhi PUCL for 2016-17, they assisted Islamist outfit PFI “in the matter relating to violation of their right to protest and their freedom of speech violated by the Delhi police on 5th Nov. 2017 in Delhi.”
‘Naxalite’ Binayak Sen was also the Vice President of the PUCL even after his conviction by Raipur Sessions Court. The West Bengal unit of PUCL also published a book exonerating Sen of all his crimes and branded him a “victim of state atrocity.”
