Act against SIMI if involvement in terror proved: Amar

Bhopal, Oct 21 (UNI) Samajwadi Party (SP) General Secretary Amar Singh today said that action should be taken against the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) if the banned organisation's involvement in terrorist activities was proved.

''During the SP rule in Uttar Pradesh, there was no evidence of such involvement. But if proof is found against SIMI, then action should be initiated against the organisation,'' Mr Singh told reporters here.

The SP leader, who was here to attend the launch of his party's election campaign, reiterated that the Bajrang Dal should also be banned.

Regarding the recent attacks on northern Indians by the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Mr Singh said, ''the trend is extremely dangerous and it is even more perilous than the communal divide. Even a person such as (eminent actor and former MP) Amitabh Bachchan was not spared by the MNS.'' He alleged that the MNS' ''divide and rule'' policy would boomerang if it did not shun hatred towards Northren Indians. Mr Singh also criticised Maharashtra's Congress regime for not taking stern action agains MNS.

He ruled out any leadership change in the SP's Madhya Pradesh unit and claimed that the party was gaining strength in the state.

Replying to a query, Mr Singh said the SP would contest maximum seats in the November 25 assembly polls and indicated that the party would not forge an alliance with the Congress but did not rule out tying up with like-minded small parties.

Regarding the electoral prospect of former chief minister Uma Bharti's Bharatiya Jan Shakti, Mr Singh said the party's role would be that of a ''vote-cutter'' and it would damage the Bharatiya Janata Party at the hustings.

The SP would support the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament, he said while adding that the party was stressing on the reservation facility being extended only to the truly needy.

UNI BDG AC RR NS2035