Two years after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs banned the Popular Front of India (PFI), the radical Islamic outfit is regaining its stronghold in Kerala through a ‘fitness programme.’
The programme is named Multi-Exercise Combination 7 (MEC 7) and has connections with Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and the proscribed PFI. MEC 7 has expanded to over 1000 units in Kerala.
The BJP has raised concerns about the alarming trend. The CPI(M) had initially criticised MEC 7 and its links to radical Islamic outfits but backtracked later.
CPM Kozhikode district secretary Mohanan who criticised MEC 7 fitness group as a facade of the banned PFI now takes a backflip: swallows own words. Denies he has made such a statement https://t.co/PwVZTpjNwh
— A. Harikumar (@journalistHari) December 15, 2024
The Congress has come out with all guns blazing, lending both support and legitimacy to the Multi-Exercise Combination 7.
Congress MP V K Sreekandan has even gone on record to declare, “I believe MEC 7 should be expanded across the country. I have personally experienced it, and it is inclusive and beneficial to all.”
This is despite the fact that even some Sunni Muslim organisations such as Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS) have highlighted the ties of MEC 7 with radical Islamic outfits.
The ‘fitness programme’ reportedly operates via WhatsApp groups, which are in turn coordinated by extremists associated with the Popular Front of India (PFI).
Women are reportedly dragged out of their homes to participate in the ‘workout sessions.’ MEC 7 is particularly popular in Northern Kerala, especially in Kozhikode and Muslim-majority Malappuram districts.
The ‘fitness programme’ was developed by P Salahudeen, who happens to be a former Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, in 2012.
After the ban on Popular Front, jihadists in Kerala have rebranded themselves, now operating under the guise of 'Mac 7' with special combat training with more than 1000 groups. Even parties like communist and Islamic Samasta group who usually support extremism are raising… pic.twitter.com/UI981HvXHo
— Hindu Seva Kendram (@HinduSevaKendra) December 14, 2024
According to reports, PFI is using MEC 7 for conducting ‘physical training sessions’ across multiple locations. The ‘mysterious’ nature of the workout programme has raised concerns about PFI trying to re-invent and revive itself.
BJP leader V Muraleedharan highlighted the need for the Kerala government to stay vigilant. In the meantime, MEC 7 has cried foul over the matter and claimed that those participating in the ‘fitness programme’ belong to all classes and religions.
An interesting point to note is that MEC 7 operates without any registration and promotional activities including pamphlet distribution. The informal, grassroots-level approach of the ‘fitness programme’ has drawn political eyeballs.
Extremist activities of PFI
In September 2022, the Indian government banned the Popular Front of India and eight of its associates for terror links and security threats.
Back in 2013, a group of people belonging to PFI/SDPI organised a terror camp at Narath, Kannur district, Kerala, and entered into a criminal conspiracy to impart training to youth for using explosives and weapons, intending to prepare them for carrying out terror activities.
However, the police got a tip-off about the terror camp underway at Narath and decided to raid the location. They recovered explosives and including 2 live bombs.
The scrutiny of the bank accounts of some of the accused shed light on massive international transactions, revealing transnational involvement in organising the PFI terror camps in Kerala
The investigations found that the SDPI/PFI leaders hatched the conspiracy to impart training in weapons and explosives to their cadres to retaliate against the alleged torture faced by Muslims in India, especially from the Hindus.
The NIA took over the case and invoked relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code against the 24 accused in the case.
SDPI, the political arm of PFI, was also involved in the 2020 Bengaluru riots wherein a Muslim mob went on a rampage and unleashed mayhem over a Facebook post.
The frenzied mob of 200-300 Islamists vandalised the residence of the Congress MLA and set police vehicles on fire. They also attacked police personnel in DJ Halli and KG Halli with stones and deadly weapons.
Government properties and the building of KG Halli police station were destroyed in the arson attack.
As per the charge sheet filed by NIA, Pasha and Mohammed Sherif (SDPI President) were the key conspirators behind the riots.
OpIndia had earlier reported about an 8-page PFI document that talks about teaching a lesson to the “coward Hindus” of India.
