By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Activists and intellectuals drawn from different corners of the country have called upon the Government of Jharkhand to immediately lift the ban on Popular Front of India (PFI).
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, they said the ban order scoffs at the laws of the land and opens doors to the violation of fundamental rights respected by the Constitution. It is reported that the ban was imposed on the specious and baseless allegation that the PFI was influenced by the so-called ISIS of the Middle East, they continued.
“They understand that Popular Front of India is a neo-social movement actively involved in developmental work like literacy campaign, prevention of malnutrition and comprehensive empowerment of the poor and the downtrodden, especially Muslims”, the statement said.
The signatories also pointed out that the Hindutva Government of Jharkhand and its police have been unhappy with the activists of Popular Front for highlighting the multiple lynching cases in the state. The ban is a ploy used by the government to intimidate people and suppress democratic forms of protest and dissent. This is not for the first time that the government has used law to ban organizations opposed to the plunder of this resource rich state and the corruption of the ruling class.
They also appealed to the Human Right groups, political parties and minority organizations to rally up for lifting the ban on Popular Front of India.
Among the signatories are: 1. Dr. Suresh Khairnar, Social Activist, Nagpur Maharashtra; 2. Ravi Nair, South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre, New Delhi; 3. Prof. Shams-ul-Islam, New Delhi; 4. Leni Raghuvamshi, PVCHR, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh; 5. Adv. Sridevi Panikker, Supreme Court, New Delhi; 6. Rajiv Yadav, Rihai Manch, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh; 7. Adv. Aditya Wadhwa, Supreme Court, New Delhi; 8. Dr. Malam Ningthauja, Camping for Peace and Democracy, Manipur; 9. Sunil Kumar, Journalist/Activist, New Delhi; 10. Madhuri Krishnaswamy, JADS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh; 11. Vasantha AS, Hyderabad; 12. Rona Wilson, CRPP New Delhi; 13. Seema Azad, Editor Dastak, Allahabad; 14. Prabal, DSU, Delhi University; 15. Adv. Amit Shrivastav, High Court, Delhi; 16. Adv. Mangala, High Court, Delhi; 17. Anushka, Democratic Rights, New Delhi; 18. Vipul Kumar, Quill Foundation, 19. Devika Prasad, Rights Activist.