Guv takes serious note of Mulayam's statement on SIMI

Lucknow, July 14 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeswar has taken a serious note of chief minister and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's reported defence of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), and holding that it was not a terrorist outfit.

Sources told UNI here today the Governor dashed off a letter to Mr Yadav ''perhaps'' yesterday on the issue.

The letter asked the CM to reconsider his government's decision to withdraw cases against SIMI activists involved in the 2001 Kanpur riots.

Mr Rajeswar also asked him to allow police a ''free hand,'' while investigating SIMI's role in Mumbai train blasts, which left around 200 people dead and over 700 wounded.

Sources said the Governor, in his communication, expressed concern over the the CM and his brother and senior minister Shivpal Singh Yadav's remarks on SIMI.

The Centre, sources claimed, has taken cognisance of Mr Yadav's soft stand on SIMI. Raj Bhawan has already sent a report to the Centre on the CM's statement yesterday on the issue.

While, the BJP has approached the Raj Bhawan over the issue, the Congress is likely to call upon the Governor this evening.

''There may be some with dubious record in SIMI, but it is wrong to dub the whole organisation as terrorist,'' Mr Shivpal Singh Yadav told reporters here.

The CM also expressed similar sentiments saying SIMI's role in two major incidents- the Ayodhya attack and serial bomb blasts in Varanasi-- had not been established.

''The ban on SIMI is there vide a central government order,'' he said adding, the outfit's role was being probed in the Mumbai blasts and it would be improper to term it a 'terrorist organisation'.

Shivpal Yadav alleged previous governments in UP had misused SIMI's name to target some politicians, which was highly condemnable on their part.

''We are extremely critical of the Mumbai incident, but at the same time, stand against the propoganada against SIMI,'' he added.

Interestingly, UP had opposed the ban notice of the centre sent to the state government on May 22, arguing the organisation was not involved in ''any activities'' and neither had it (UP) received any complaint against the organisation.

Talking to reporters in Muzaffarnagar today, the CM maintained that he had not given a clean chit to SIMI and the news channel, which had relayed the news, would henceforth not be seen near him.

While SIMI has denied its role in the blasts, the Centre said the banned organisation could have provided logistical support to the people who actually planned the act.

UNI NAB VS VD HT1709