By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: Former president of banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Dr Shahid Badr, has lambasted Amresh Mishra, Chief of Congress-backed Anti-Communal Forum, for publishing a news story in the media that he (Badr) has joined the Forum. He described Mishra as “liar and fraud.”
A local Hindi daily in Azamgarh on February 2 published the news that Badr and some other ex-SIMI members have joined Anti-Communal Forum. Mishra had met Badr in the night of February 1 at the latter’s home in Azamgarh.
Ex-SIMI president told TCN that Mishra phoned him on February 1 saying he wanted to meet him. “I agreed as I never said no when one wanted to meet me. Even IB officers call me and come to meet me,” said Badr who was among the first to be arrested after SIMI was banned in September 2001 but the court acquitted him of all charges.
“Mishra came to my home around 9 pm on February 1. We talked on various issues for about three hours. I put various questions before him: why are you people suddenly remembering Azamgarh now after one and half years (after Batla encounter)? Is this all for UP Assembly elections? He gave no answer. What and how will you talk to the families of those killed in the Batla encounter or arrested after that as all this happened under your party’s government? He again gave no answer. Why did your government approach Supreme Court against the tribunal order that had lifted ban on SIMI? This was the second such order by a tribunal in free India. First time, a ban on RSS was lifted by a tribunal in 1992. The government then did not approach the court to oppose tribunal order but in SIMI’s case it reached the court seeking stay within 16 hours. Mishra again had no answer. Lastly I asked: On coming February 7 what will your government do? Will it renew the ban or lift it? He was silent,” said Badr.
“There was no talk on his Anti-Communal Forum in these three hours but the next day in the Hindi daily Jan Satta he published the news that I have joined this Forum. I called to the office of the newspaper. They said Mishra gave the news about 5 pm on February 1. He came to meet me at 9 pm on that day. It means before meeting me he had given the false news to the paper,” said Badr and strongly condemned Mishra for this act.
Amaresh Mishra is the author of book “War of Civilisations: India AD 1857” and contest Lucknow Lok Sabha seat on Ulama Council ticket but has recently joined the Congress.