Ban on SIMI extended for another five years

The SIMI was first banned in 2001 when the Atal Bihar Vajpayee government was in power and since then the ban has been extended every five years.

New Delhi: The Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was banned for another five years on Monday with the government saying that the outfit is continuing its “subversive activities” and reorganising its activists who are still absconding.

The outfit has been banned since 2001 and the latest extension – seventh one – came against the backdrop of state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh recommending such a course of action.

“Bolstering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of zero tolerance against terrorism ‘Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI)’ has been declared as an 'unlawful association' for a further period of five years under the UAPA. The SIMI has been found involved in fomenting terrorism, disturbing peace and communal harmony to threaten the sovereignty, security and integrity of Bharat,” Home Minister Amit Shah posted on ‘X’.

In the gazette notification, the MHA cited 28 cases and instances involving SIMI activists to extend the ban, which was ending on Monday, under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The previous extension was for five months in January 2019.

It said the union government is of the opinion that if the “unlawful” activities of the SIMI are “not curbed and controlled immediately”, it will take the opportunity to “continue its subversive activities and re-organise its activists who are still absconding.”

It also said the SIMI would “disrupt the secular fabric of the country by polluting the minds of the people by creating communal disharmony, propagate anti-national sentiments, escalate secessionism by supporting militancy and undertake activities which are prejudicial to the integrity and security of the country.”