Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI ), an organization formed in April 1977 in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh was a student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) organization. Its aim was to establish Dar-ul-Islam (land of Islam) by revival of ‘khilafat, (caliphate), ‘ummah’ (Muslim brotherhood), and the Jihad (violence) and convert India to an Islamic state. SIMI was against secularism, democracy and nationalism. It carried out various anti national activities till 2001 when it was banned after 9/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The Popular front of India, formed in November 2006, thought to be reincarnated form of National development front (NDF) established in 1994 in Kerala, had links with SIMI. This was brought to the notice of the High court by the Kerala government in 2012.
NDF of Kerala and other radical Islamic organisations like Manitha Neethi Pasara(MNP) of Tamilnadu, Karnataka For Dignity (KFD) of Karnataka, Citizen’s forum of Goa, Community social and education society of Rajasthan, Nagrik Adhikar Suraksha Samiti of West Bengal, Manipur’s Lilong Social Forum and Andhra Pradesh’s Association of Social Justice pooled up gradually and grew as PFI and has leadership now in 23 states. Even the present cadre, the chairman of PFI Mr. Abdul Rahman was the former national general secretary of SIMI and PFIs state secretary Mr. Abdul Hameed was SIMIs state secretary and most of the important portfolios held by PFI are members of SIMI.
PFI was actively involved in many criminal cases, including 27 murders of CPI -M and RSS activists, 86 attempt to murder cases and 106 communal cases – as was informed by Kerala government to the Hon’ble high court. PFI was alleged to have carried out various antisocial activities like kidnapping, causing riots and arson, holding of weapons, love jihad, etc.., Also PFI was accused in playing major role in the ghastly attack involving chopping off the hand of T.J Joseph. PFI has been alleged to have links with Pakistani spy agency ISI and the controversial Zakir Naik (Islamic preacher). It was reported that 127 Kerala based Muslims who had joined ISIS possessed PFI literature. All these made several state governments request the central home minister to ban PFI mainly Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand and Karnataka. Jharkhand state government had banned PFI in February 2019 due to alleged link with Islamic state (IS). Recently PFI members had played a major role in creating caste riots in Hathras case in Uttar Pradesh where they had received foreign funds to create riots as per charge sheet filed by special task force in 2020.
With increasing complaints against it, PFI started a political wing of the organization – Social democratic party of India (SDPI) in June 2009. Since its formation SDPI was suspected to play a vital role in many violent incidents. In 2014, SDPI activists threatened to block an independence day programme and forced to stop the recital of Vandemataram at a private school in Karicode. Similarly sedition charges were filed against SDP in December 2020 in Karnataka after they raised slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad”. Apart from these they have been found to play a major role in large scale riots and communal disharmony which occurred in recent years in India where they targeted not only the people of opposite religion but also public properties, police stations and even police personnel. Destroying, attacking and torching police stations and public properties are serious offences and need to be considered as terrorist activities.
- Role in Karnataka protests by SDPI:
Nearly 4000 people gathered in August 2020 after an alleged inflammatory post in social media, which led to a rampage and setting afire the residences of Congress MLA of Pulakeshinagar, Akhanda Srinivas Murthy. People were mobilized from far off places through social media and the rioters burnt police stations of Devara Jeevanahalli and Kadugondahalli apart from public properties. The police remained mute spectators during the attacks. National Investigation agency (NIA) took up the investigation and arrested 187 people of which17 were found to be SDPI activists. (Image 1)
- Role during anti-CAA protests:
Six SDPI members were arrested after an attack on Pro-CAA rally activist, Varun Bhoopalam in Bangalore in December 22, 2019.They had planned riots in the rally by dressing in saffron clothes and had pelted stones on the crowd and later on killed the leaders in the rally. Also, the Mangalore anti-CAA riots were been instigated by SDPI and PFI members. Of Parvez Ahmed and Mohammad Iliyas who were arrested in Delhi anti-CAA riots, Mohd. Iliyas had contested in Delhi assembly polls on SDPI ticket. Of RS.120 crores collected at the time of riots, nearly 50 crore was from undisclosed sources.
- Role in Atmakur, Andhra Pradesh riots:
After a group of locals objected to the construction of mosque in a residential area behind a school, 7 SDPI members who were trained in near by places moved to Atmakur and with around 3000 people instigated riots and plotted to assassinate local BJP leader who had attended the site after a call from locals. The disputed construction is under discussion with local police for around 2 years and was stopped from construction as there was no approval for it. Seven SDPI members were found to have crucial role in the riots and they had torched vehicles of a BJP leader, police personnel and of common people. Fearmongered people remained helpless overnight until new police forces came to their rescue. (Image 2)
- Role in atrocities in Kerala:
RSS activists have been routinely targeted by PFI and SDPI members in Kerala. Last year alone 3 RSS activists were killed. Also PFI and SDPI had blocked Enforcement Directorate raids when conducted at premises of KM Ashraf and Anis Ahmed in a money laundering case related to Delhi riots.(Image 3)
Clearly the ban against SIMI hasn’t worked and an institutional ban sparing those actually involved in its activities has instead strengthened their resolve to achieve their ulterior anti-national motives. It’s time we enact stringent laws on such persons and organizations to stop them in their deadly ignorant acts blinded by external forces.
