On September 29, the Twitter account of Popular Front of India (PFI) was withheld in India. The move came following the ban on the Islamist organisation and its sister organisations imposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India (GoI), on September 27 via gazette notification. The message on the account reads, “@PFIOfficial’s account has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand.”
Along with Twitter account, PFI’s website, Facebook account and YouTube profile have been blocked.
However, the accounts of PFI’s state branches are still active on social media platforms, along with the sister organisations that were banned by the MHA. There have been reports that the Government has sent instructions to block the websites and social media accounts linked to the banned organisation. Hindustan Times quoted an unnamed official saying that the process of blocking the accounts was under process. Directions have already been sent to social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, for the same. Reports suggest that the WhatsApp accounts linked to the organisation are also being monitored.
PFI banned by Government of India
On September 27, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification to ban PFI and its sister organisations named Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala.
The move came after nationwide raids on the organisation conducted by National Investigation Agency (NIA), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and state police. Over 100 locations were raided by the security agencies, and over 150 leaders and workers linked to the organisation were detained or arrested. During raids, the manual to make bombs, Mission 2047 documents, weapons, cash and wireless communication devices were recovered.
