Karnataka Forum for Dignity
Karnataka Forum for Dignity was an Islamist organization considered an offshoot of the banned terrorist group Students Islamic Movement of India.
Formed in the year 2001, it was active in the coastal city of Mangalore and in the districts of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu of Karnataka state and in Kasargod district of Kerala state. The group merged with Kerala-based political outfit Popular Front of India on 22 November 2006. The Popular Front of India is accused in multiple terrorist attacks including the 2011 Mumbai bombings, 2012 Pune bombings and 2013 Hyderabad blasts.
The Karnataka Police were probing the involvement of the group in the 2009 Mysuru communal violence and terror strike at Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. The group is also accused of extorting money and many of its members are accused in the sensational Hunsur kidnap and double murder of students.
In 2015, Siddaramaiah cabinet decided to withdraw criminal cases against 1,600 activists of Karnataka Forum for Dignity and Popular Front of India for rioting. The opposition BJP accused the Chief Minister of turning a blind eye to the acts of violence by KFD and PFI activists in Hassan, Shivamogga and Mysuru and blamed these organisations of being seeded by the ISI and Taliban. The government was asked to reconsider its decision and warned the withdrawal of cases would result in spurt of moral policing, communal activities and other violent anti-social activities in the state.
