Author: HT Correspondent
Publication: The Hindustan Times
Date: October 2, 2001
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi labelled
the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) as timely and
sought a ban on all other religious fundamentalist organisations in the
country to avert a communal flare-up.
Talking to reporters here today,
Gogoi said the ban on SIMI would give an opportunity to security forces
to crack down on the radical activists in the state.
"We have reports that SIMI and other
Islamic fundamentalist groups are operating in various pockets here. Their
nexus with the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence and Pak-backed militants
is well known," Gogoi said.
The Chief Minister, however, was
against targeting only Islamic radical outfits. Fundamentalist outfits
from other religions also deserved a similar treatment, he added.
He hoped that the SIMI ban would
help check cross-border movement of Islamic militant outfits and ISI agents,
particularly from Bangladesh. Members of such outfits often work under
the shadow of frontline insurgent groups like ULFA and NDFB.
Director General of Police Harekrishna
Deka said that several SIMI offices within the state capital have been
identified and action against its activists would be taken soon. Including
SIMI, there are at least 26 militant outfits under watch in Assam. The
state police have kept 11 of them on their hit list.
These organisations are the Muslim
United Liberation Front of Assam, Muslim Liberation Tigers of Assam, Islamic
Liberation Army of Assam, United Muslim Liberation Front of Assam, United
Reformation Protest of Assam, People's United Liberation Front, Muslim
Volunteer Force, Adam Sena, Islamic Sevak Sangha, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen
and Harkat-ul-Jehad.
Most of these operate from among
the predominantly Bangl-adeshi immigrants who have pulverised the indigenous
population in six districts, including Goalpara, Dhubri and Hailakandi.
The political patronage enjoyed
by the immigrants as vote banks is believed to be the main hurdle for the
police in tackling these organisations.
The DGP said that constant hammering
by the special police force has almost tamed the once-dreaded outfits like
ULFA.
"The militants have been on the
run for the past several years. Assam today is peaceful. But we have achieved
this peace with a price," he said.
