On Friday, PFI supporters staged a protest in Pune against the arrest of senior PFI functionaries a day earlier. While being detained, slogans of Pakistan Zindabad were raised by the PFI supporters.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said: “In the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji such slogans will not be tolerated. We will not allow any such anti-national activity; a case of sedition will be filed against them.”
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who handles the home ministry, said on Sunday evening in Pune that he has instructed police officials to book the accused under sedition. “In Maharashtra and in India, we do not accept such slogans. If slogans of Pakistan are raised in India, then we will not leave them. I have spoken to the Pune Police Commissioner and I have asked him to book them under sedition. I believe an offence under this may already have been registered.” When asked whether the state would recommend to the Centre to ban PFI, Fadnavis said the Centre would take an ‘appropriate call’ on the issue.
“Several state governments have been keeping an eye on PFI’s activities for several years…Even the Kerala government in the past had asked for a ban on the PFI. Those who are working against the country will be taken to task.” Reports of PFI cadre shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans have led to protests by different political parties in the state with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers who tried to march to the PFI office in Pune being detained. MNS workers also burnt a flag of Pakistan. Protests against the PFI also took place in Aurangabad and in Solapur.
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