Ban or no ban, SIMI divides Cong and Lalu-Mulayam

Congress did not agree with Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh's contention of ‘no ban’ on Students Islamic Movement of India.

The issue of continuance of ban on controversial SIMI saw divergence of view in UPA with Congress advocating ban on the outfit while its allies RJD and Samajwadi Party opposing the curb on it.

Congress did not agree with RJD chief Lalu Prasad and SP President Mulayam Singh Yadav’s contention of ‘no ban’ on Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and pointed out that the organisation was not only unlawful but also terror outfit.

AICC spokesman Manish Tewari said there was no question of revoking the ban in wake of a special tribunal’s decision to lift the ban in view of the fact that SIMI was also a terrorist organisation.

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On the other hand, Lalu and Mulayam made a strong pitch against the ban with the RJD supremo saying ‘there should have been no ban on SIMI’ while Yadav claiming that SIMI was not involved in any unalwful incident in Uttar Pradesh and there is no need to proscribe it.

Main Opposition BJP sought to make a political capital out of the issue by alleging that the revocation of the ban on SIMI was part of the UPA Govt’s ‘deal’ for the support provided by Samajwadi Party to it during the trust vote.

The saffron party also demanded sacking of Home Minister Shivraj Patil on the issue and accused the UPA of appeasement politics.

Congress party spokesman and Minister of state of Home Shakeel Ahmad denied suggestions that the tribunal’s order was a setback for the government while Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal said the court order appears to be based on technical grounds.

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CPI national secretary D. Raja said organisations like SIMI should be dealt politically and ideologically and not legally.