Government extends ban on ‘Students Islamic Movement of India' for five years

Government of India on Monday declared lsquoStudents Islamic Movement of India SIMIrsquo as an Unlawful Association for a further period of five years under Section 31 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act UAPA 1967The last ban on SIMI was imposed vide Gazette Notification Number SO 564E on January 31 2019ldquoSIMI is continuing to be involved in fomenting terrorism disturbing peace and communal harmony in the country which are prejudicial to the sovereignty security and integrity of IndialdquoMany criminal cases have been registered against SIMI and its members under various sections of law including the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967rdquo the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a notificationSIMI was formed on April 25 1977 in Aligarh Uttar Pradesh with Mohammad Ahmadullah Siddiqi serving as its founding president At present Siddiqi holds the position of a Professor of English and Journalism at Western Illinois University in Macomb IL In 1981 SIMI activists expressed their dissent towards PLO leader Yasser Arafats visit to India protesting and welcoming him with black flags in New Delhi This action was rooted in the perception of Arafat as a Western puppet by young SIMI activists while senior leaders of JamaateIslami Hind JIH viewed him as a champion of the Palestinian cause As SIMI supported the 1979 Iranian Revolution the JIH distanced itself from SIMI turning to the older student organization SIOThe organization aims to combat what it perceives as increasing moral decay sexual anarchy and the insensitivity of the decadent West in Indian society The restoration of Islams supremacy focusing on the resurrection of the khilafat the importance of the Muslim ummah and the waging of jihad constitutes some of SIMIs key objectivesAlso read In a first seismometers to be installed on MumbaiAhmedabad high speed rail corridor for early detection of earthquakesThe Government of India banned SIMI for the first time on September 26 2001 immediately following the September 11 attacks in the United States SIMI remained banned from September 27 2001 to September 27 2003 During this period numerous prosecutions were initiated against its members under various antiterrorism acts The second ban dated September 27 2003 concluded on September 27 2005However SIMI was believed to be dysfunctional between September 28 2005 and February 7 2006 as many of its members were demoralized or had surpassed the age limit of 30 years for membership On July 27 2006 the Indian Government asserted that SIMI had intensified its subversive activities and was involved in major explosions communal violence and the circulation of inflammatory material across the countryAlthough the third ban on SIMI was lifted by the Delhi High Court Tribunal on August 5 2008 citing insufficient material provided by the home ministry the Supreme Court of India stayed the lifting of the ban on August 6 2008 A special tribunal later upheld the ban affirming SIMIs links with Pakistanbased terror outfits and its front the Indian Mujahideen