The Popular Front of India national committee has strongly condemned the arrest of Rashid Ahmed, a member of the organisation by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Sunday.
According to the organisation, Rashid is working in Mumbai and went missing two days back while returning to Mumbai after vising his family in Uttar Pradesh.
Rashid’s family had filed a complaint in Allahabad Hight Court since there was no communication from his side for the last two days.
“It is clear that the ATS took him to custody two days back, and today (Sunday) after his family approached the High Court, registered his arrest, and presented him before the media with fabricated charges,” Popular Front of India said in an official note.
PFI also claimed that Rashid is a member of the organisation and the allegations made against him by ATS are concocted.
“It is part of the vendetta politics of the Uttar Pradesh government against the organisation. It is a political decision of the UP government to treat someone as a criminal for merely being a member of the organisation and punish people for associating with its activities,” read the statement.
After the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) agitations in UP, three Popular Front state ad hoc committee members were arrested on fabricated charges and tortured in custody, PFI alleged.
Another ad-hoc committee member was arrested for filing a Public Interest Litigation seeking a judicial inquiry into the deaths that happened during the police crackdown on the anti-CAA protestors.
Popular Front said it wants to make it clear that the organisation will not be intimidated by this kind of malicious vendetta politics and will continue its struggle through democratic and legal means.
PFI demands the Yogi Adityanath government to release its members immediately and end imprisoning and torturing innocent Muslim youths.
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