Assam CM alleges PFI role in Batadrava police station arson incident; demands PFI, CFI ban

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday alleged the People's Front of India (PFI)'s role in the Batadrava violence and once again urged the Centre to ban PFI and Campus Front of India (CFI). "The state of Assam is very clear, right from the Gorukhuti we have always seen PFI's hand in the communal tensions. Even in the latest Batadrava incident where the Batadrava police station was burnt down, we are now picking up signals of the involvement of PFI in it. The Assam government is of the view that PFI and CFI should be banned," he said. Following the death of a fish seller on May 20, an angry mob burnt down the Batadrava police station in central Assam's Nagaon district.

"They are providing training to the people in Baksa district, which shows that they want to destabilize Assam and create an anarchy-like situation and they are doing it openly," the CM said.

"I have met Union Home Minister Amit Shah many times and have urged that PFI and CFI should be banned. However, we all know that banning such an organization requires various legal scrutinizes," he added.

Later in his address, Sarma also expressed hope and trust in the Central government stating, "it will give due consideration to the request of the state government."

( With inputs from ANI )