Lucknow, Jan 1 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh Police arrested 25 members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) from various districts in connection with the violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Lucknow.

Praveen Kumar, IG (Law and Order) said: "All the arrested PFI members have been involved in criminal activities."

He said state president of the PFI Waseem Ahmed and two others have been arrested from Lucknow for instigating violence during the anti-CAA protests in Lucknow and other districts of the state. The police is investigating the network of the organisation in the state.

Talking about the proposed ban on the PFI, Kumar said: "The discussions between the Central Government and the State Government are confidential. We can't disclose anything till we reach a conclusion."

Cabinet Minister in the Yogi Government Mohsin Raza said that the PFI is another form of SIMI. He said: "The organisation started spreading its footprint in UP after Kerala. After the SIMI was banned, a new organisation was formed with the name PFI which is encouraging youth to join terrorist activities."

Meanwhile, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari slammed the Yogi government over the PFI. He said the Yogi government is banning the PFI to hide its failures and if the allegations of the government are true then it is a big intelligence failure.

The Uttar Pradesh government has requested the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to ban the PFI alleging that the organisation played a key role in triggering violence during the recent anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in the state.