Why right-wing majoritarian outfits not banned, asks Owaisi

Hyderabad: Criticising the Centre's ban on Popular Front of India, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday asked why it has not banned right-wing majoritarian outfits.

The Hyderabad MP said though he has always opposed PFI's approach and supported democratic approach, the ban on PFI cannot be supported.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president believes 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," tweeted Owaisi.

"How come PFI is banned but organisations associated with convicts of Khaja Ajmeri bomb blasts aren't? Why has govt not banned right wing majoritarian organisations?," he asked.

He said actions of some individuals who commit crime does not mean that the organisation itself must be banned. He pointed out that the Supreme Court has also held that mere association with an organisation is not enough to convict someone.

"Muslims have spent decades in prison before being acquitted by courts. I have opposed UAPA & will always oppose all actions under UAPA. It runs afoul the principle of liberty, which is part of basic structure of the constitution," he wrote.

"We should remember that Congress amended UAPA to make it stringent & when BJP amended the law to make it even more draconian, Congress supported it This case will follow timeline of Kappan, where any activist or journalist is randomly arrested & takes 2 years to even get bail," he added.

IANS with inputs