Panaji, March 31 () Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said that the police have been keeping a tab on the activities of the banned organisation Popular Front of India (PFI), adding action would be taken against those who support them.
Sawant said this while replying to ‘Calling Attention’ moved by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Pravin Arlekar asking about the steps taken by the government to check and stop the activities of the PFI.
“Even before the outfit was declared banned, Goa Police had registered cases against the outfit for organising unlawful assembly. In this connection, two cases under relevant sections of the IPC were registered with Fatorda police station. In both cases, 18 people were arrested,” Sawant said.
He said that “a sharp watch is being kept on the erstwhile members of the banned organisation, and action would be taken against those who are supporting the PFI”.
Vasco BJP MLA Krishna Salkar, speaking on Calling Attention, said that PFI activities have spread everywhere.
“We need to take action against them. They display the flag of other countries openly along with their banner. We come to know about their activities only when central agencies come down to Goa and take action against them. They are doing anti-national activities. Investigation should be done and if they have offices here they should be closed,” Salkar said, adding that Goa is known for secular fabric and such activities (of PFI) should be stopped.
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao said that action should be taken on organisations which spread hatred.
“Goa is known as the land of communal harmony. It is important to maintain peace and harmony. Our leader Rahul Gandhi initiated ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ to spread a message of peace and harmony and unite the country. The government should take action on all such organisations who spread hatred and indulge in divisive politics,” Alemao said.
sbk/pgh
