Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is mobilising Muslim support to create a ‘caliphate’, it wants to replace Indian nationalism with an “international Islamic order” and considers idol worship a “sin”, the Ministry of Home Affairs has listed objectives before the Supreme Court for banning the organisation.
A petition seeking to revoke a July 2019 ban on SIMI as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 came before an apex court Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul on Jan. 18. The court adjourned the hearing.
The Home Ministry, in an affidavit, said the objectives of SIMI was against the basic fabric of Constitution.
“SIMI aims to mobilise students/youth in the propagation of Islam and obtain support for Jihad. The organisation also emphasises on the formation of ‘Shariat’ based Islamic rule through ‘Islami Inqalab’. The organisation does not believe in nation-state or in the Indian Constitution including its secular nature. It further regards idol worship as a sin, and propagates its ‘duty’ to end such practices,” the affidavit pointed out.
The Centre said the financial situation of SIMI was “sound”, with donations and memberships from Gulf countries. The funds received within the country can be broadly classified in two different heads; Jhakat/donation and funds and by robberies and dacoities.
“SIMI through its members has contacts in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Nepal. Being an organisation for students/youth, SIMI is influenced by and used by various fundamentalist Islamic terrorist organisations operating inter alia from the State of Jammu & Kashmir,” the affidavit said.
Terrorist organisations such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) have successfully managed to penetrate into the SIMI cadres to achieve their anti-national goals. It is active in States, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and West Bengal.
It has regrouped under several names like ‘Wahadat-e-Islami’ in Tamil Nadu; ‘Indian Mujahideen’ in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi; ‘Ansarullah’ in Karanataka; ‘Muslim Muttahida Mihad’ in Uttar Pradesh; in Madhya Pradesh ‘Wahadat-e-Ummat;’ ‘Nagarik Adhikar Suraksha Manch’ in West Bengal, the Ministry said.
“It is stated that one ‘Karuna Foundation’ in Kerala, in fact, was used by ex-SIMI members to counter threats against Islam. One other organisation by the name ‘Amanat Foundation’ also showed pro-SIMI leanings. At all India level, SIMI has been regrouped under various names including ‘Tahreek-eEhyaa-e-Ummat’, a movement for the revival of the community, ‘Tehreek-Talaba-e-Arabia’; ‘Tehrik Tahaffuz-eSha’aire Islam’, etc. Besides the above, there are over three dozen other front organisations through which SIMI is being continued,” the government said.
