Centre defends ban on SIMI

New Delhi, July 26 (UNI) The Union Government today strongly defended declaring as unlawful the Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the imposition of ban on it in February this year.

Siddharth Mridul, counsel for the Government, said before the tribunal hearing the case on ban that the SIMI had only increased its anti-national activities since the first ban imposed in 2001.

His arguments were two-pronged. One one hand, he sought privilege of not disclosing the secret documents to the organisation quoting the law. "Non-disclosure of documents to the organisation (SIMI) is not non-disclosure to the tribunal. Although natural justice is an overriding principle, Central Government may tailor the natural justice to public interest." On the other hand, he quoted extensively from two judgements holding correct both the bans imposed in 2001 and 2003 to say that SIMI activists had either jumped their bails or crossed the border to visit Pakistan and Bangladesh for arms training.

SIMI counsel Trideep Pias, however, wondered how the earlier judgements continued to be relevant in the circumstances changed to the extent of warranting fresh ban this year.

Siddharth Mridul replied that the earlier judgements had not lost relevance because SIMI is indulgence in anti-national activities showed no signs of abatement.

He further argued that the prosecution need not furnish strictly legal evidences before the tribunal to objectively determine existence of sufficient grounds for the Government to impose ban.

SIMI counsel Trideep Pias will start his arguments tomorrow.

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