BJP demands ban on PFI in Karnataka, Congress government says no

Soon after the Jharkhand government banned Popular Front of India (PFI) saying its members were "internally influenced" by the ISIS, Karnataka BJP demanded the Congress state government to initiate the same. Chief Minister Siddaramaih confirmed that the government is not contemplating of any such move at the moment. "The question of banning any organisation doesn't arise yet," said the CM. After members of PFI were convicted in a murder of RSS worker Rudresh in Bengaluru, the BJP along with several right wing groups have demanded the ban of PFI in Karnataka. BJP claims that several political killings of party workers in Karnataka have been committed by the PFI. The party leaders have also accused the government of going soft on PFI. "There is an internal understanding between congress and PFI ahead of elections and that's why they wont ban it," said BJP MLA CT Ravi. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President G. Parameshwara hit back at BJP and said that any government cannot ban a organisation based on a party's demand. "Be it Congress' or BJP's demand, the government cannot ban based on a demand. The home minister reviews the situation time to time and will take a call," said Parameshwara. Source: India Today