The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is said to have unearthed a link between the Popular Front of India (PFI) and protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act that have been raging on across the country.
An ED investigation, in which details of 73 bank accounts have been probed, reveals that the Islamic outfit has already spent Rs 134 crore on anti-CAA protest, News18 reported.
The probe further revealed that three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are funding the PFI. Among these, one is Rehab India Foundation that is currently being probed by the ED.
Although no official statement has been issued by the investigation agency, the funding is said to have been used to pick and drop protestors, including those who are protesting at Shaheen Bagh, provide them food, accommodation and other facilities during the protests.
As the probe continues, the investigation agency may freeze some bank accounts and arrest some people in connection with the case, the report added.
Reacting to the report, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narendra Taneja said it has been reported for a long time that the PFI is being involved in these protests, especially in Uttar Pradesh.
“It was always suspected, and then the Uttar Pradesh people (media) were saying it for sure with evidence. Now, it is coming from a professional organisation. One always wondered how these movements could sustain for such a long period without any funding and now it is clear that it had organisational support,” Taneja told the news channel.
He said that if a protest has been funded, it has been done with an objective. “In this case, it is basically to destabilise the government and to propagate their ideology and agenda which is extremely unfortunate,” he said.
People have the right to protest, but when such funding and objectives are involved then that is no longer within the framework of the Constitution, he added.
