PATNA, Sep 28 (UNI): The Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is likely to seek legal action against the centres decision to ban it.
Terming the ban as arbitrary, the organisations zonal secretary Reyazu Musahid said they would soon move court against the order and were already seeking legal opinion.
Its leaders were consulting and maintaining close links with each other and injustice had been done to Indian Muslims.
Mr Musahid said the Muslims loved to act on moral values and appealed to India not to support Americas war against terror.
SIMIs Bihar chapter in-charge Abrar Arif claimed that the ban was unjust and said no Muslim would tolerate it.
The SIMI was never involved in any extremist activity.
"The decision for an abrupt ban was taken at the behest of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh," he said.
Meanwhile, official sources said that the SIMI was operational in some Muslim-dominated pockets of North Bihar and some parts of the state capital.
The organisation, with about 200 active members, had indirect links with fundamentalist extremist organisations active in Bihar.
Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal secretary-general Mohamad Nemtullah condemned the ban and told UNI at dhanbad that prior to banning SIMI the centre should have banned communal outfits such as the RSS and Bajrang Dal.
Mulayam demands all party meet on SIMI ban LUCKNOW, Sep 28 (UNI) Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav today demanded an immediate withdrawal of the ban on the Students Iislamic Mmovement of India (SIMI) till an all party meeting "okayed" the Centres decision after going through the evidence of the organisations involvement in anti-national acitivities.
"Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee should convene an all party meeting on the issue and the Home Minister should disclose all the evidences and the State governments report on the anti-national activities of the SIMI, only then the ban should be imposed on them," the former Defence Minister told newspersons here.
"We just cannot implicate innocent ones without a proper enquiry and if anything was found against them, the sp would be the first to support the ban," he added.
Asked about public statements of the SIMI office bearers against the Constitution, Mr Yadav said, "the enquiry should cover this aspect also".
He said the ban was a conspiracy to create tension and fear among the people in view of the coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
"Both the BJP led governments at the Centre and the State had failed to solve the peoples problem...They were hatching such conspiracy to divert the attention of the masses," he said.
The Samajwadi Party supremo said if the centre justified the ban on the SIMI for anti-national activities, they should also ban outfits such as the Shiv Sena, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal who were more dangerous to the society.
He said the ban on the SIMI should be taken up in the All Party Meeting after going through reports so that transparency could be maintained and none should be implicated.
The Centre should also disclose reports of the Maharashtra, the Madhya Pradesh and the Gujarat governments on banning the SIMI.
Refuting charges of senior officials of the state that the SP activists were behind the yesterdays violence in old city of Lucknow, the former UP chief minister said, "my party workers were trying to pacify the irate mob but in order to take political mileage the officials, on the behest of the BJP government were blaming the SP for the incident".
He, however, said the SP would continue to fight for the cause of the innocent and was ready to give any sacrifice for creating unity and brotherhood in the society.
He also appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony and not be misled by the government propaganda.
Mr Yadav questioned the reasons to keep the SIMI activists in custody till afternoon even as the police had arrested them in the wee hours yesterday.
He also urged the Prime Minister to intervene and personally take interest in the law and order problems in Lucknow, his Parliamentary Constituency.
Muslim intellectuals, scholars condemn ban on SIMI MUMBAI, Sep 28 (UNI) Muslim intellectuals, religious scholars and politicians have condemned the central governments decision of imposing a ban on Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and urged the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government to immediately lift the ban.
Talking to UNI, general secretary of Bombay Aman Committee Fazal Ahmed Shah clarified that he is not a sympathiser of SIMI, but felt that the centres decision should be condemned at all stages.
Hindu communal organisations like the RSS and the VHP are openly receiving training in handling arms and ammunition, but no action is being initiated against them, while simi has been banned though the government has no evidence that it has been organising such training camps in any part of the country, he said.
Arshad Siddiqi, prominent Muslim leader in the Nationalist Congress Party the (NCP) said that the NDA governments decision should be condemned.
He said that NCP leader Sharad Pawar had openly said in a public meeting at thane last month that if the governments imposed a ban on SIMI, then other communal organisations such as the RSS and the VHP should also be banned.
When pointed out that NCP leader Chaggan Bhujbal himself had recommended the ban and welcomed the centres decision, he said that it was the state cabinet decision and if Bhujbal had welcomed the ban, it must be in his capacity of deputy chief minister which he is bound to, because any person in the cabinet cannot disagree with the cabinets decision.
Convenor of Muslim intellectual forum Sarfaraz Arzoo said that this is the worst form of state terrorism and a questionable exercise of power.
The law of the land has been made subservient to the wishes of the Sangh Parivar, he said.
Miraj Siddiqi, convenor of Muslim rights protection board, Maharashtra, said that the centres decision is an atrocity on the Muslim Community, and Muslims should now be aware as other Muslim organisations may also face such bans.
Sayeed Noori, general secretary of the Raza academy at Mumbai, while criticising the decision as partial, said that government has imposed the ban without any substantial evidence.
However, president of the Muslim Ulema Sanghatha Moulana Mohamed Salim Noori has welcomed the decision and said that the Vajpayee government should ban all organisations indulging in terrorist activities.
Shahi Imam declares support to Talibans Jehad NEW DELHI, Sep 28(UNI) Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmad Bukhari today supported the cry of war given by the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan against the US and its allies and asked prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to keep quiet on the issue.
If any Islamic country or its Ulema (Clergy) announce Jehad, its obligatory for each and every Muslim in the world to support it morally and express it openly, the Imam said in a highly surcharged speech delivered from the ramparts of the historic Mosque before the Friday prayers.
The Cleric told the congregation that he had convened a meeting of "Shoora" comprising the top Muslim clergy in the country tomorrow to chalk out the future programme in this regard.
Referring to the prime ministers statement that the US and its allies were fighting a war against terrorism and not Islam, the Shahi Imam said it would be better if Mr Vajpayee keeps his mouth shut.
We very well know his secular credentials too.
Hum Taliban Ke Jihad Ki Himayat Karte Hain (we support the Talibans war of cry), Mr Bukhari said amid cries of Nara-e-Takbir, Allah-o-Akbar.
Undeterred by the criticism of his anti-US pronouncements from the Jama Masjid recently, the Imam reiterated his tough posture on the impending US action against Afghanistan in retaliation to the terror strikes in New York and Washington.
If America attacks Afghanistan, Muslims throughout the world will consider it an attcak on Islam and they will not hesitate to sacrifice all what they have in protection of their religion, he said.
The Cleric said he was making the announcement of support to the Talibans Jihad with full responsibility and no earthly power could compel him to change his stand.
He denied the accusations of being pro-Taliban and said all peace loving people were well aware as to who is the agressor and the victim.
Defending the Talibans cry of war against the US, the Imam said the Afghan people were not at fault.
He also criticised the western countries for their support to the US.
They were with America only because they were scared of the so-called superpower , he added.
The western countries are with America on its stand for handing over Osama Bin Laden without any concrete evidence.
I ask these nations whether they are ready to be united in getting the asqa mosque form the clutches of Israel, he said.
6 SIMI activists arrested in Chennai CHENNAI, Sep 28 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu police have sealed the offices of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and arrested six activists in Chennai and Madurai following the imposition of a two-year ban on the organisation by the centre yesterday.
The police sealed the offices of the SIMI and also their printing presses in at least two cities in the state.
The SIMI office at Mannady here was sealed, its printing press put under lock and the organisations accounts in the Indian overseas bank freezed, joint commissioner of police (Morth) C Sylendra Babu said today.
He said three SIMI functionaries, including its camp secretary Shaheer Azim and treasurer Khader Babu were arrested here.
Search was on for another functionary.
Police also seized propogation literature.
In Madurai, three functionaries, including the district secretary, were arrested and the office and printing press sealed.
Mr Sylendra Babu said anyone supporting the cause of the banned organisation would be liable for arrest.
There was no resistance to the arrests, he added.
A top police official said the presence of the organisation was very miniscule in the state.
13 SIMI activists arrested in MP BHOPAL, Sep 28 (UNI) As many as 13 office bearers and activists of banned Students Islamic Movement of India(SIMI) have so far been arrested from various places in Madhya Pradesh.
Additional director general of police(intelligence) Swaraj Puri told UNI that five workers have been arrested from Indore, four from Ujjain and two each from Bhopal and Khandwa.
Expressing the possibility that the figure could cross two dozen this evening, he said arrests of SIMI workers had been peaceful till now.
Security has been beefed up in Malwa region, which is considered to be hub of SIMI activities.
Police had initiated prohibitory action against the organisations activists and office bearers.
According to report from Ujjain, some "objectionable" litrature had also been seized from the local SIMI office.
SIMI state president Kamruddin Nagaori is a resident of Ujjain.
Friday prayers pass off peacefully in Lucknow, curfew continues LUCKNOW, Sep 28 (UNI) Amid tight security in the sensitive pockets of the state capital, the Friday prayers passed off peacefully today even as the death toll in yesterdays police firing rose to four.
An indefinite curfew in four police station areas in the old city areas continued for the second day today and two companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) was depolyed in the curfew bound areas.
Additional director general of police (law and order) A K Mitra said here that the Friday prayers passed off peacefully in the state and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.
He said that the situation in the curfew bound areas was normal and the authorities would decide about the relaxation of the curfew tonight.
Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police(SSP) B B Baskhi said here that the death toll rose to four after an injured person to died.
Two critically injured were admitted to the hospital.
He said that 60 people have so far been taken into custody in yesterdays incident which broke out after a police team went to arrest SIMI activists in the area.
Nine companies of the PAC along with the RAF have been deployed in the area to keep a watch on the trouble mongers.
Mr Bakshi the situation in the area was under control and there was no report of any incident since last night.
The situation in the state capital had taken an ugly turn after arrest of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activists prompting the authorities to impose curfew in chowk, Saadatganj, Bazar Khala and Thakurganj police station areas.
SIMI offices raided in Gujarat AHMEDABAD, Sep 28 (UNI) In a statewide crackdown on the activities of SIMI, which was banned by the centre yesterday, state police raided atleast six of its offices in different parts of the state since last night and recovered several incriminating documents, however, no arrest has been made so far.
The police raided Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), offices at Ahmedabad, Sabarkantha, Vadodara, Surat and Bharuch districts and later sealed the premises.
The incriminating documents recovered from these offices are beign scrutinised, a senior officals from home department told UNI and confirmed that SIMI was active in several pockets of Gujarat and it also tried to enter in parts of Bhuj, a district which is bordering Pakistan, after the earthquake.
Meanwhile, Ahmedabad city police commissioner, P C Pande, told UNI that they had sealed the SIMI premises.
However, he said no arrests were made so far since no activities of SIMI had been witnessed after the ban order.
Ban on SIMI Better late than never :Thackeray MUMBAI, Sep 28 (UNI) Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has welcomed the nationwide ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI)and complimented union home minister L K Advani for the bold step.
In a statement issued here last night, Mr Thackeray said, "I was waiting for this day.
The centre should have acted against this fundamentalist group much earlier.
Anyway, better late than never".
He said the centre should have taken such a bold decision on various occasion earlier.
But unfortunately the government had succumbed to the pressures of vote bank politics.
The Sena chief said the so called secularists had criticised him whenever he spoke openly against the fundamentalist and the anti-national SIMI.Mr Thackeray lambasted the secularists for their "double standards".
He also urged the centre not to get cowed down if the SIMI retaliates against this decision.
Mr Thackeray said the policemen who act tough against such anti-national elements should not get the treatment meted out to former Mumbai police commissioner R D Tyagi, who was facing several charges in Suleiman Bakery firing incident during the Mumbai riots of 1992-93.
Curfew relaxed in violence-hit Muzaffarpur PATNA, Sep 28 (UNI) Curfew was today relaxed for six hours in violence-hit Muzaffarpur of Bihar after the situation showed improvement, additional director general of police(Muzaffarpur zone) M K Sinha said.
The relaxation, from 0900 hours to 1500 hours today, was announced to help the people reeling under the curefew since wednesday buy essential items, Mr Sinha said.
Police and paramilitary forces continue to patrol the streets of the town where seven people were killed in police firing on violent protesters and clashes after the body of the five-year-old son of a bank employee was found on wednesday.
The district administration has ordered closure of schools and colleges indefinitely.
Mr Sinha said the administration was closely monitoring the situation and the decision to relax the curfew was taken at a meeting of civil and police officials as no untoward incident was reported since yesterday.
China to usher in new era of friendship with India NEW DELHI, Sep 28 (UNI) Praising Indias role in developing cordial relations with all countries, China has stressed the need to strengthen the Sino-Indian relationship in view of the present fluid political and security scenario in the world.
"Beijing has a mission to accomplish.To usher in a new era of friendship with New Delhi," Chinese ambassador to India Hua Jundo said here last night adding that "the relationship between the two countries has assumed significance in the light of the war-like situation in our neighbourhood." He was speaking at a meeting to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of Chinese independence on October 1, and the 115th birth nniversary of late Pandit Sundarlal, the founder member of sino-Chinese friendship.
The meeting was jointly organised by the Indian Association for Peace and Friendship with China, the India China Society, the Friends of China Society and All India Doctors Dwarkanaths Kotnis Memorial Committee.
Mr Hua said despite differences, there had been tremendous progress in areas such as trade and diplomatic visits.
Referring to recent high level diplomatic visits between the two countries, the ambassador said these has helped in bridging the differences between the two nations.
"The trade between the two countries has gone up significantly, and has crossed 4 billion Dollars , an increase of 14 per cent from last year," he said.
Delhi Mayor Shanti Desai said that though China gained independence two years after India, it was ahead of the latter in many areas.
He recalled the difficult times the two countries had to go through and hoped for a better future.
Rsp leader Abani Ray, MP, who presided over the meeting, said there was a need to forge a heart-to-heart relationship as this would ensure a true friendship between the two nations.
Be in a position to the counter any attack, from terrorism to imperialistic designs of the super power, provided we are united and fight together," he added.
World Peace Council president Romesh Chandra and CPI executive council D Raja also spoke.
70 to 75 SIMI activists rounded up: Bhujbal MUMBAI, Sep 28 (UNI) About 70 to 75 activists of the now banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) have been rounded up by the police from various parts of the state, deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal said here today.
Talking to reporters here, Mr Bhujbal, who is also the state home minister, said the police have been asked to stay alert to foil any attempts by the radical outfit to foment trouble following the ban.
He also urged the people to support the ban.
Mr Bhujbal said about seven months ago, SIMI had sent six of its young activists from Jalgaon to accquire training from the terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.
Three of them were killed in military action in the Kashmir valley, while, other three returned home after accquiring the training.
"When the family members of the three dead activists inquired about the whereabouts of youngsters, they were threatened by SIMI," Mr Bhujbal said.
Police arrested the three youths who had acquired training from Hizbul and gathered evidence about SIMIs involvement in anti-national activities.
"We had dispatched all evidence and information gathered by the state intelligence department to the centre," Mr Bhujbal said.
Noisy scenes rock both houses of UP legislature LUCKNOW, Sep 28 (UNI) The proceedings in both houses of the Uttar Pradesh legislature were disrupted today following noisy scenes by the opposition over yesterdays police firing here killing three people after the crackdown on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
The opposition members sought a clarification on the incident, leading to adjournments.
In the Vidhan Sabha, the Bahujan Samaj Party, Congress and Rashtriya Lok Dal raised the issue as the house assembled for the day.
Their members stormed into the well of the house shouting anti-government slogans.
In a rather unusual development, the treasury benches returned the favour by shouting pro-government slogans.
The sorry state of affairs prompted the speaker to adjourn the house for about an hour.
The adjournment extended to about two hours as the opposition refused to budge from its stand.
Despite repeated requests from the chair to let the leader of the opposition speak on the issue, the members remained in the well.
While the din continued, the house rushed through the agenda and supplementary budget demands amounting to rs 4,498.16 crore were passed with voice vote.
The scene in the Vidhan Parishad was hardly different.
The opposition, led by the Samajwadi Party, stormed the well forcing chairman Om Prakash Sharma to adjourn the house twice for more than two hours.
The proceedings were completed amidst noisy scenes.
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