On SIMI, SP does somersault

SP general secretary Amar Singh backed the Congress position on the SIMI ban. On Tuesday, however, Singh threatened to withdraw his party’s support to the UPA Govt on the issue, reports Srinand Jha.

Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Amar Singh on Wednesday backed the Congress position on the Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) ban. On Tuesday, however, Singh threatened to withdraw his party’s support to the UPA government on the issue.

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At a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this morning, Amar Singh reiterated his demand for a judicial probe into the Jamia Nagar encounter in Delhi where two suspected members of the Indian Mujahideen and a Delhi Police officer were killed.

He told reporters that the erstwhile UP government, led by Mulayam Singh Yadav, had found nothing against the SIMI, but his party never supported it. “If any evidence has been found, action should be initiated against it,” he said.

Responding to Congress leader Congress MP Satyavrat Chaturvedi’s suggestion that Amar Singh should see a psychiatrist, he said the comments of a chirkut (small fry) did not matter, as he was in direct contact with the PM and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.