The Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) in a recent chargesheet against some members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) has alleged that the proscribed group conspired to work towards making India an “Islamic nation by 2047”. As per its chargesheet, the ATS alleged that a PDF file was recovered from the mobile phone of the main accused Mazhar Mansur Khan contained a draft Draft Booklet detailing roadmap for ‘Regaining the glory of Islam by 2047’ The document, mentions on one of its pages, “India-2047: Towards Rule of Islam in India”.
The document mentions, “Eight districts of Jammu and Kashmir and Lakshadweep are having over 70 per cent of the Muslim population and overall Muslims are the secondlargest majority in the country.” The document conspired, “In 2047 India is completing its century as a country, so by that time India should be an Islamic Nation.”
It is pertinent to note that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), last year in September, had banned the PFI, its associates, and affiliates for a period of five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 by declaring it as an unlawful association. The PFI cadres are accused of involvement in several terrorist acts and the murder of several persons, including Sanjith (Kerala, November 2021), V-Ramalingam (Tamil Nadu, 2019), Nandu (Kerala, 2021), Abhimanyu (Kerala, 2018), Bibin (Kerala, 2017), Sharath (Kamataka, 2017), R.Rudresh (Kamataka, 2016), Praveen Puyari (Karnataka, 2016), and Sasi Kumar (Tamil Nadu, 2016). The MHA has said that the criminal activities and brutal murders have been carried out by the PFI cadres for the sole objective of “disturbing public peace and tranquillity and creating a reign of terror in the public mind”.
The MHA has also mentioned “international linkages of PFI with Global Terrorist Groups”, and that some of the activists of the outfit have joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and participated in terror activities in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Some of these PFI cadres linked to ISIS have been killed in these conflict theatres and some have been arrested by State Police and Central Agencies and also the PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul-Muyahideen Bangladesh (JMB), a proscribed terrorist organization”.