BJP's Amit Shah Claims Congress Will Lift PFI Ban If Elected, Warns of Dangers

Union Home Minister Amit Shah warned that Congress would lift the ban on PFI if elected, claiming it's "anti-development". He exuded confidence about BJP's prospects in Rajasthan, targeting Congress leaders.

Kota, Rajasthan (HT News): The Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on the other hand, issued a stern warning on Saturday, May 16th, about the possible consequences of a Congress win in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. At a rally in Kota, Rajasthan, Shah said that the opposition party would abolish the ban on the controversial Populist Front of India (PFI) organization if it came into power.

"If you had voted for the Congress in 2019, Kota would have become the headquarters of PFI. You selected PM Modi and he ended PFI and put them in jail," Shah reproached to the crowd. "They say that they will remove the PFI lock. The Congress is a party that hinders development."

The Modi government banned a Muslim organization called PFI in September 2022 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for the next five years for supposedly being linked to violent protests and terrorism. It was subject to criticism by several opposition parties, including the Congress in Kerala.

Nevertheless, Shah didn't shy away from his statement on the Congress' standpoint about the PFI ban. "They have two ways to choose between," he claimed. "On the other hand is Narendra Modi, who has been with the country for the last 23 years, and on the other side we have Rahul Gandhi, who has been pushed into contention for the top job about 20 times, but he has never succeeded."

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The Home Minister seemed very hopeful about the BJP's chances in Rajasthan, and he promised that PM Narendra Modi would continue to win from the state for the third consecutive term. "If I talk in cricket's term, Rajasthan too would be going to make a hat-trick of giving all 25 seats to BJP," he asserted amidst cheers from supporters.

Shah also lambasted the former CM of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, stating that his son Vaibhav Gehlot, a Congress candidate from Jalore, would experience a crushing defeat.

The PFI ban and corruption allegations involving the Congress turning into anti-development are now the main campaign issues for the BJP, which is vying for power on the centre stage. The Congress party, which is part of the opposition, has denied any plan to lift the PFI ban should they be elected as the government.