PFI ban: Sack Kerala minister Devarkovil who has links with Rehab India, says BJP state chief

“It is very dangerous that a representative of an outfit, which works against the country, is holding the post of minister,” Surendran added.

Meanwhile, Devarkovil, who is the national general secretary of the INL, said neither he nor his party had links with the Rehab India Foundation. “The policy of the LDF as well as its ally INL is not to have any links with extremist outfits,’’ he said.

Reacting to the allegation, INL president Sulaiman told reporters that he had been a member of the Rehab India Foundation Trust, but quit a year ago. “At present, I am not associated with the foundation and am not aware about its office-bearers.” he said.

The BJP, however, is unlikely to let go of the issue. The party has announced an agitation seeking the ouster of Devarkovil from the Cabinet.

INL is a breakaway faction of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) formed by the late parliamentarian Ibrahim Sulaiman Sait. He had quit the IUML over its moderate stand in the wake of the demolition of the Babri Masjid. INL, backed by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) for years, was announced as an ally of the CPI(M) right before the 2021 Assembly elections.

The Rehab India Foundation is a charity outfit floated by the PFI. In June this year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached several bank accounts linked to the foundation as part of an anti-money laundering investigation against it. Accounts of the PFI were also attached. As many 23 accounts of the PFI, having Rs 59,12,051, and 10 of the Rehab India Foundation, having Rs 9,50,030, were attached.