Mulayam defends banned SIMI

Lucknow, Aug 23 (UNI) Coming to the defence of banned Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) once again, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today asserted no organisation could be treated as a terrorist outfit, while individuals could be linked to such activities.

Joining the debate on motion of terrorism and deteriorating law and order situation -- moved by the BJP, BSP and Congress in the state assembly, Mr Yadav said SIMI could not be termed as terrorist outfit as their involvement was not found in any other terrorist attack in Ayodhya, Varanasi and Shramjivi Express blast.

''Any individual can be linked with terrorism, but how can an organisation be identified as terrorist,'' he questioned.

Earlier, the BJP boycotted the house proceeding to protest speaker Mata Prasad Pandey's decision not to allow BJP state president Keshri Nath Tripathi more time to complete his statement.

The CM, criticising the BJP's role in boycotting the house, said they have taken an undemocratic path.

Mr Yadav claimed there was terrorist threat on his life after an intelligence letter warned him of the same. ''Terrorists are annoyed with me for taking a strict stand against them after terrorist attacks in different parts of UP in recent past,'' he added.

On the ''suspicion mode'' of BJP on madarsas operating in UP by terming them as dens of ISI activities, the CM said such statements would disintregrate the country and create communal differences.

''Without taking Muslims in confidence, we cannot fight terrorism and teach Pakistan a lesson for instigating ISI activities in our country,'' he observed.

Demanding setting up of a central commission to examine the law and order status of all the Indian states, the CM asserted that the crime graph of UP was less than Mumbai, Delhi and several other states.

Making a direct attack on UP government, leader of the opposition Lalji Tandon alleged the present government was appeasing minorities for vote bank politics by compromising with the country's internal security.

MORE UNI MB VS MIR VV1838