New Delhi: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said that though he has always opposed the Popular Front of India's (PFI) approach, the ban on the radical outfit cannot be supported, as reported by PTI. The government on Wednesday imposed a five-year ban on the PFI and several other outfits affiliated with it for their alleged involvement in terror activities and "links" with terrorist organisations like ISIS.


Owaisi said in a series of tweets, "While I have always opposed PFI's approach and supported democratic approach, this ban on PFI cannot be supported."


"But a draconian ban of this kind is dangerous as it is a ban on any Muslim who wishes to speak his mind. The way India's electoral autarky is approaching fascism, every Muslim youth will now be arrested with a PFI pamphlet under India's black law, UAPA," he tweeted.


BJP chief spokesperson in Telangana K Krishna Sagar Rao alleged that non-BJP state governments over the years "driven by their political compulsion of minority appeasement" have let dangerous organisations like PFI grow nationally.


Also Read: Centre Declares Popular Front Of India An 'Unlawful Association' After Nationwide Raids


"A strong government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi can only take such decisive action of imposing ban on PFI and its affiliate organisations in the interest of national security," he said in a statement.


"This tough, timely and thoughtful action by Modi government will ensure that divisive forces do not build national networks under the guise of social organisations, to further their hateful agenda of creating communal and religious disharmony in India," he said.


Apart from PFI, action has also been taken against its 8 affiliates. On September 22 and September 27, NIA, ED and state police raided the PFI. In the first round of raids, 106 and in the second round of raids, 247 people associated with PFI were arrested/detained. 


(With PTI Inputs)