A row has erupted in Kerala after the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) announced its support to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The BJP has set out all guns blazing against the Congress in the state, asking if party MP Rahul Gandhi will accept the support of the “political outfit of a banned terror organisation.”
“Now SDPI has openly declared support to the Congress party in all 20 constituencies. We all know why PFI was banned. SDPI and PFI have openly declared to kill Hindus and Christians, destroy temples, churches and attack BJP leaders and religious leaders. The SDPI is an organisation which is trying to disintegrate the nation. Rahul Gandhi should explain his position on this open declaration,” said BJP Kerala President K Surendran. “Rahul Gandhi must make his stand clear. The Wayanad MP who speaks about secularism day and night should explain this,” he added.
BJP leader Amit Malviya took to micro-blogging website X, attacked the Congress and Rahul Gandhi. “SDPI extends unconditional support to the Congress led UDF in Lok Sabha elections, Kerala, including to Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad. SDPI is the political outfit of banned terrorist organisation PFI. BJP Kerala President K Surendran, who is contesting from Wayanad, asks if Rahul will denounce it. This, at a time when the Left and Congress are sparring over Rahul’s candidature from Wayanad. Left wants Rahul Gandhi to contest from UP, but Rahul is scared,” Malviya posted.
On April 1, SDPI state president Muvattupuzha Ashraf Moulavi said that they will support the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls as it is leading the I.N.D.I.A bloc against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “The state committee of the party has decided not to contest in this Lok Sabha election in Kerala. This decision was taken based on the current Indian situation. UDF candidates will be supported in all constituencies in Kerala. Congress is the party leading the anti-BJP INDIA front at the national level. It was decided to give priority to UDF,”Moulavi said.
The Alleged SDPI-PFI Link
The SDPI is said to be the political arm of the banned terror outfit Popular Front of India (PFI). However, it has distanced itself from the PFI repeatedly. SDPI leaders have said that they are an independent organisation and not linked to the PFI. Having distanced itself, the SDPI is said to have managed to escape the ban put on the PFI and its outfits.
However, earlier last year, there were reports that members of the banned PFI were preparing to launch a new outfit through the SDPI, close on the heels of Lok Sabha elections.
PFI was banned in 2022 for five years after it was declared a terrorist organisation following a series of raids. The PFI has often been accused of involvement in anti-national and anti-social activities by the government. In 2012, the Government of Kerala had claimed that the PFI was a resurrection of the banned terrorist outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), an affiliate of the Indian Mujahideen.
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