A petition seeking quashing of the July 2019 ban on SIMI as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 came up before a division bench of the Supreme Court on January 18, 2023.
The Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is mobilizing Muslim support to create a ‘Khilafat’, it wants to replace Indian nationalism with an “international Islamic order” and considers idol worship a “sin”, the Home Ministry earlier The Supreme Court has listed the purposes for organization ban,
Petition seeking cancellation of July 2019 simi banned appeared before a division bench of the apex court headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul on January 18 as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The court adjourned the hearing.
The Home Ministry said in an affidavit that the objectives of SIMI are against the basic fabric of the Constitution.
“The objective of SIMI is to mobilize students/youth for the propagation of Islam and to garner support for Jihad. The organization also lays stress on the formation of Islamic rule based on ‘Sharia’ through ‘Islami Inquilab’. The organization does not believe in the nation-state or the Indian Constitution with its secular nature. It further considers idol worship as a sin, and proclaims its ‘duty’ to end such practices,” the affidavit said.
The Center said the financial position of SIMI was “robust” with donations and subscriptions from Gulf countries. The money received within the country can be broadly classified into two different heads; By zakat/charity and wealth and robbery and dacoity.
“SIMI has contacts in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Nepal through its members. The affidavit states that being an organization for students/youth, SIMI is inter alia influenced and used by various radical Islamic terrorist organizations operating from the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Terrorist organizations like Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) have been able to infiltrate 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 resurfaced in Tamil Nadu under various names like ‘Wahdat-e-Islami’; ‘Indian Mujahideen’ in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi; ‘Ansarullah’ in Karnataka; ‘Muslim Muttahida Mihad’ in Uttar Pradesh; ‘Wahdat-e-Ummat;’ in Madhya Pradesh; The ministry said, ‘Nagrik Adhikar Suraksha Manch’ in West Bengal.
“It has been said that a ‘Karuna Foundation’ in Kerala was, in fact, used by former SIMI members to counter threats against Islam. Another organization named Amanat Foundation also showed pro-SIMI leanings. At the all-India level, SIMI has been regrouped under various names, including ‘Tehreek-Ayhya-e-Ummat’, a movement for the revival of the community, ‘Tehreek-Talba-e-Arabiya’; ‘Tehreek Tahfuz-e -Shayere Islam’ etc. Apart from the above, there are more than three dozen other front organizations through which SIMI is being continued,” the government said.