Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday slammed the Congress party and alleged that the party strengthens anti-national elements and is unable to protect Karnataka. He further said that if the citizens of Karnataka want to keep their state safe then "only BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership could do it," news agency ANI reported.
Shah in Puttuar, Karnataka said, "Congress had released 1700 members of the PFI and BJP's PM Narendra Modi banned PFI and shut it permanently. Congress party, which strengthens anti-national elements, can never protect Karnataka." He added, "There is Kerala near you (Karnataka). I don't want to say much. If you want to keep Karnataka safe, only BJP can do this. Only a BJP govt in Karnataka, under the leadership of PM Modi, can do this."
The Centre in September 2022 banned the Popular Front Of India and its affiliates for five years by invoking the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to effect the ban. Home Ministry said the PFI and its affiliates are linked to terror groups like the ISIS, propagate “anti-national sentiments… radicalise a particular section of society with the intention to create disaffection” and constitute a “major threat to internal security of the country”.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai welcomed the Centre's ban on PFI and said that this is a message for all anti-national groups. The PFI was said to have played a key part in the massive hijab controversy in Karnataka. The Karnataka government told the Supreme Court that the PFI had influenced the petitioners who challenged the hijab ban. The government stated before the supreme court that the PFI's social media campaign to sway parents and kids was the root of everything.