SIMI chief says he won't challenge extension of ban

On February 4, the Government of India is expected to re-impose the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India. And SIMI has made it clear that it will not oppose the ban before the tribunal.

The ban in all probability will be re-imposed, as the law ministry is understood to have said that there was no legal problem involved in extending the ban. The two-year ban ends on February 4 following which the order will be re-issued for another two years.

Dr Shahid Badr Falahi, who was the SIMI chief when the ban was first imposed in 2001, said that there was no justice remaining at all. "Hence there is no point of appearing before the tribunal. Once this ban is re-imposed another tribunal will be constituted for a period of six months. And the same old arguments and counter-arguments will take place."

"However, the reason why I have decided not to appear before the tribunal and fight the ban is because the government does not seem to care. In 2008, when the tribunal ordered the ban to be lifted, the government instead of honouring the same decided not to implement the order. Instead, it challenged the order and obtained a stay before the Supreme Court," said Dr Falahi.

"Once the tribunal is constituted I will be the first person to get a notice. Others from the movement will also get a notice. I am not stopping them from going before the tribunal, but I have made up my mind not to," he added.

SIMI, however, will continue its fight before the Supreme Court. "We hope to get justice there," the chief said.

But according to Dr Falahi, their lives will not change even if the ban is lifted. "Our phones are monitored at all times and every remark I make is always misconstrued.

"Before the Babri Masjid verdict was passed, I had to furnish a bond and affidavit in which I swore not to cause any trouble. I, along with many others from the movement, am always under the scrutiny of local authorities. And in case of any attack or blast we are the first ones to be suspected," he said.

"It's impossible for me to travel as it is looked at as a mission to regroup or collect funds. I was once asked in court how I managed my legal feels and when I said we get donations some other meaning was made of it," he said.

According to Dr Falahi, there were many innocents languishing in jails because they were a part of SIMI. "We cannot even reach out to them, as it is often misunderstood as an attempt to start regrouping."