BJP Eyes Kerala in South, Cites PFI as National Security Risk

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is eyeing Kerala as its next target in the south, after making inroads in Karnataka and Telangana. The party is banking on its strong Hindutva ideology and its campaign against the Popular Front of India (PFI), a radical Islamist group that has been accused of several violent crimes in the state.

What is PFI?

PFI is a socio-political organisation that claims to work for the empowerment of Muslims and other marginalised communities in India. It was formed in 2006 by merging three regional outfits: the National Development Front (NDF) in Kerala, the Manitha Neethi Pasarai (MNP) in Tamil Nadu and the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD).

However, PFI has also been linked to several cases of murder, terror, communal riots, hate speech, conversion and radicalisation. The group has been banned by several states, including Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Assam. The central government has also been considering a ban on PFI under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Why is BJP targeting PFI?

BJP sees PFI as a major threat to its political agenda of establishing a Hindu Rashtra in India. The party accuses PFI of being involved in anti-national activities and supporting terrorist groups like ISIS. BJP also claims that PFI is behind the killings of several of its workers and leaders in Kerala.

BJP has been demanding a thorough investigation into the role of PFI in various crimes and incidents in Kerala, such as:

• The murder of BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivasan in Alappuzha in December 2021 by 15 PFI members, who were convicted by a court on January 20, 2024 .
• The murder of RSS worker Nandu Krishna in Thrissur in October 2021 by four PFI members, who were arrested by the police .
• The chopping off of the hand of a professor TJ Joseph in Muvattupuzha in July 2010 by PFI activists for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad in a question paper .
• The involvement of PFI members in the 2016 Bengaluru riots over a derogatory Facebook post on Prophet Muhammad .
• The radicalisation and recruitment of several youths from Kerala by ISIS with the help of PFI .

How is BJP campaigning against PFI?

BJP has been using various platforms and strategies to expose and oppose PFI in Kerala. Some of them are:

• Holding rallies, protests and marches across the state to demand a ban on PFI and justice for the victims of its violence .
• Launching a social media campaign with hashtags like #BanPFI, #PFITerrorists and #PFIMurders to spread awareness about the dangers of PFI .
• Releasing documentaries, books and pamphlets to expose the activities and ideology of PFI .
• Mobilising Hindu organisations and groups like RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal and Hindu Aikya Vedi to counter PFI’s influence among the masses .
• Highlighting the failures and appeasement policies of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition, which are seen as soft on PFI .

What are the challenges for BJP?

BJP faces several challenges in its bid to capture power in Kerala, where it has a negligible presence. Some of them are:

• The strong hold of the LDF and UDF over the state’s politics, which have alternated power since 1980 .
• The high literacy rate and political awareness among the people of Kerala, who are known for their progressive and secular values .
• The diversity and pluralism of Kerala’s society, which comprises various religions, castes, communities and cultures .
• The resistance and backlash from PFI and its allies, who have accused BJP of communalising and polarising the state for electoral gains .

Conclusion

BJP is eyeing Kerala as its next target in the south, where it hopes to make a breakthrough by exploiting the issue of PFI’s violence and radicalism. The party is using various tactics and strategies to expose and oppose PFI and its supporters, while highlighting its own Hindutva agenda and nationalist credentials. However, BJP faces several hurdles and challenges in its quest to win over the people of Kerala, who have a history of rejecting communal and divisive politics.