PFI flaunts its strength; Ready to face death if charges proven, says its chief

Bengaluru, Oct 16: The Popular Front India proved its growing popularity in Karnataka as its grand conference in Bengaluru’s Palace Ground on Sunday drew an unprecedented crowd that braved the sudden rain and kept raising slogans till the end of the event.

Apart from the leaders of PFI and its political arm SDPI, many progressive thinkers and activists were also seen on the stage which was named after slain journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, who in a previous PFI conference had urged the people to fight unitedly against communal forces.

Inaugurating the conference with a slogan “We also have something to say”, E Abubaker, Chairman of PFI, dared the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government and its agencies to prove the charges of anti-national activities levelled against his outfit.

“Sangh Parivar is levelling false and baseless allegations against PFI with the intention of imposing ban on the organisation. PFI leaders and activists are ready to face death penalty if the government proves the grave charges against them,” he said.

“They call us extremists. If raising voice against poverty, unemployment, exploitation and inequality is extremism, then we are proud to be extremists. RSS is dividing the country on religious lines. But we call for Hindu-Muslim unity,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Jnanaprakasha Swamji of Urilinga Peddi Mutt said that people from backward classes, Dalits and minorities should come forward to form a better society at a time when the rulers of the country are giving priority to cows over human beings.

“Unfortunately, now eating beef is considered as a bigger offence than massacring human beings. Let PM Modi build a country of cows and rule it. Let us unite and make India a pro-human country,” he said.

B T Lalitha Naik, Former minister, writer and Welfare Party of India leader, said that unity among Muslims, Dalits and backward classes will be the defeat of those who are trying to convert India into an undemocratic country.

Yasir Hasan, state general secretary of PFI, said that India doesn’t belong to communal forces. Condemning the attempts to impose ban on PFI, he said: “We are ready to sacrifice our lives, but won’t bow down to fascist forces”.

PFI state president Mohammed Saqib, said that his outfit is working towards empowering Muslim community besides raising voice oppression and inequality. He accused the Centre of using National Investigation Agency (NIA) to defame PFI.

Maulana Mohammad Umarain Mahfooz Rahmani, Secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Naseer Ahmed, Chairman of Karnataka Sate Minorities Commission, Yogesh Master, writer were present among others.