‘The Supreme Court’s stay is a murder of justice’

Despite the setback, SIMI’s ex-president Shahid Badr Falahi is confident the body will be legitimate again,Reports AJIT SAHI

Photo:Shailendra Pandey

What is your reaction to the lifting of the ban on SIMI?
Our case has always been strong. The government used to create an external situation that put pressure to get a favourable verdict. When the first tribunal was about to give its report in 2002, Godhra happened and SIMI was named. Obviously, the tribunal was influenced. When the second tribunal was to give its report, Mulund and Ghatkopar blasts took place, then again SIMI was named without any proof. And when the third tribunal was to give its report, Mumbai train blasts of July 11, 2006, happened, and the verdict went against us. Though if you read that tribunal’s report you will wonder why the judge didn’t apply his mind. But this time, the government’s manipulations fell flat. Earlier verdicts, too, would have favoured us had the circumstances been different. This verdict absolutely matches our expectations. The case against us was a castle of sand and we knew it would be blown away. We are happy.

Why do you say the third tribunal’s judge didn’t apply his mind in giving his verdict in 2006?
If you read the judgement you will see that the foundation of the judgement is that all the things that have come into the picture are false but it seems that Shahid Badr is not telling the truth. The word the judge has used is ‘evasive’. He said he ‘felt’ that I wasn’t telling the truth. So the judgement was made on the basis of ‘feelings’ and not evidence.

What do you have to say about the Supreme Court’s stay on the judgement?
The stay from the Supreme Court is a murder of justice. Three previous tribunals ruled against us and we appealed against those orders, but the Supreme Court didn’t hear us. But now the Supreme Court intervened immediately. If it had been so prompt with our petitions, then our previous bans would have been thrown out long ago. But we have not lost hope even after seven years of being banned. And now we have already got the notice of lifting of ban for a few hours and even this time we won’t lose hope.

Why is it that SIMI has been constantly accused of being unlawful and seditious, be it the BJP-led government or the Congress- led? There must be some reason?
We have faced not one but a thousand allegations. But we never backed out in the legal proceedings and demolished every argument and evidence against us to prove that we are not guilty. If anyone takes out the time to come to us and read all the documents with the allegations against us and our responses to it, he will wonder how on earth the castles of sand became so strong. We are not afraid of any accusations. They thought that if this group of Muslims which is young and educated can be crushed then the entire community will be weakened. RSS and its sympathisers are present in all other parties and they have always opposed us. But we are not afraid of them.

Why do you think the Centre is adamant to keep SIMI banned?
The BJP-led government had taken advantage of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the US and banned us in order to raise their position with the US. Now, everybody is trying to show their loyalty to the US.

It is said that SIMI’s ideology does not believe in the Indian Constitution, that it is pan-Islamic, that it rejects India’s nationalism.
These are only allegations. We have given our detailed written explanations to the courts. Please read them if you can. I believe that in a land where everybody is allowed to follow his religion and principles and popularise those ideals, we also want that all those who live on this planet should live like Allah’s people, and live their lives as per the teachings of Allah and Prophet Mohammad. This is our desire. But we do not use any force for this, because Allah Himself has rejected force. But is it wrong to make one’s ideologies public and propagate it in a decent manner? No.

But SIMI is accused of being a terrorist group. It is said it has links with Lashkar-e-Tayaba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden...
[Laughs] These are false accusations against us and even though we have proved our innocence time and again, it is disappointing that they keep being repeated. Basically, because of the successive bans on us we are blamed for everything. We have never been associated with any terror group. We believe only in reaching our ideologies, thoughts and messages to the people. We have opposed violence right from the start.

Quoting intelligence agencies,the media has said SIMI has broken into two factions: yours and Safdar Nagori’s.
I, too, have read this in the media. Had the ban been lifted for some days I would have called them and asked about it. Right now there is a ban on travelling or phoning or meeting anyone. Anyway, whatever is being published in the newspapers is being done at the behest of those who want to prejudice the public mind against us.

What is your stand on the bomb blasts by terror groups?
We have always maintained that murder of even one innocent person is the murder of entire humanity. We also opposed it when we were functional and not banned. Once I had held a press conference in Delhi after the bomb blasts in Mumbai, denouncing the terror acts. We opposed it and offered sympathies to the relatives of the victims. But that was used against us. It was said that despite being banned we hold press conferences and release statements. Even the judge said that.

Do you think SIMI can make a contribution in maintaining communal harmony in the country, to ensure there is no divisiveness, and that India moves forward?
A great man like Gandhiji was killed by Nathuram Godse. Godse was a terrorist. Working on the same ideology, RSS has always

Unbowed Falahi says that the courts have been pressurised Photo:Milligazette

played a key role in disturbing the communal harmony. In spite of that RSS is not banned. We believe that to maintain brotherhood and harmony in India, RSS should be banned. BJP, RSS are people of the same family, they should be sent to jail. How do you expect peace and harmony without sending them to jail? Think about it. Modi is a big terrorist. Arun Jaitley, Advani, Vajpayee are all terrorists. The entire State, the entire country is terrorised by their activities. But in every way they get respect. When you allow terrorists to sit on your head, how can you still hope to live in peace? They kill people for their personal benefits, for their chair, for their party. On the other hand, people like us, who are weak and subjugated, who run a character-based organisation that hones ethics and morality in young men so that they don’t ask for dowry, don’t smoke, don’t abuse, stay away from films and merriment and fashion, are thrown into jails. And the killers of humanity roam freely.

There are 80 crore Hindus in India. What does SIMI think of them?
This is a very good question. Allah has set some rules for his kingdom. They say that you should call the people on the earth towards the religion of god with service, advice, in a decent way, with politeness, with logic. All of us are sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. We love all human beings and want to save them all from the fires of hell. We want them to live in a just world and, after death, live peacefully in heaven.