To counter the controversial ‘PayCM’ poster campaign of the Opposition Congress, the BJP on Monday launched “PFI Bhagya” with a photograph of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and said it was a shame on part of the Congress leader to now claim that the PFI was banned because of his suggestion.
Revenue Minister R. Ashok, who released the poster against the Congress, said the Siddaramaiah government had withdrawn 175 cases registered against 1,600 activists of PFI and KFD. Cases had been registered against PFI members for indulging in communal violence in 2010 in Mysuru, Shivamogga and other parts of the State, he said.
The then DG/IGP and the Law Department officials had recommended against withdrawal of the cases. But the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government had withdrawn the cases to appease the minority community, he alleged.
Noting that the then AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal had opposed the PFI ban, Mr. Ashok said because PFI members received training in Kerala, Mr. Venugopal, who hails from Kerala, opposed the ban.
“The PFI, which had received funding from foreign countries, had indulged in anti-national activities. The Congress government which was known for divide-and-rule policy, had not shown courage to ban the PFI during the 10-year rule of the UPA led by Manmohan Singh government. The Modi government has demonstrated its commitment to national security by imposing the ban. The police had launched a crackdown on all anti-national activists associated with PFI and their activities in different parts of the State”, he claimed.
Stating that the PFI activists indulged in violence in KG Halli and DJ Halli in Bengaluru, Mr. Ashok alleged that the main objective of the PFI was to disturb communal harmony and peace in the country.
On the Bharat Jodo Yatra launched by Rahul Gandhi, Mr. Ashok said the Congress divided the country to allow Jawaharlal Nehru to become the Prime Minister. Nehru allowed the hosting of two flags in one nation, he said.
