Televangelist Zakir Naik might be in some trouble as Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the Government had taken note of his speeches and officials instructed accordingly.
Advertisement
Additionally, Maharashtra state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also directed Mumbai Police Commissioner to investigate and submit a detailed report on the speeches and activities of Zakir Naik. As far as the government is concerned, we will not compromise on terrorism at any cost.
Information and Broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu convened a meeting here where issues related to telecast of “umpermitted” TV channels, including “Peace TV”, were discussed.
Mumbai-based Zakir Naik has come under the scanner after it was reported that his speeches have inspired some of the Dhaka cafe attackers.
The Centre on Friday swung into action against the controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and his organisations, Peace TV and Islamic Research Foundation (IRF).
After the blasts, Mumbai Police had banned Naik from conducting any speech in public after the contents of his previous speeches were found to be inflammatory. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh promised suitable action.
Naik, in his lecture aired on Peace TV, an worldwide Islamic channel, had reportedly “urged all Muslims to be terrorists”.
I&B ministry officials said Naik’s TV channels including in Bangla and Urdu – which are beamed in Bangladesh are “banned” in India but shown by some cable TV operators.
If required, police may also question people associated with Naik, the official said. Everything, including Naik’s speeches, his social media accounts, sources of funding (of a foundation run by him in Mumbai) will be scrutinised, said Fadnavis. It will take appropriate action after studying them.
He reportedly said Malaysia and a few other countries already have a ban in place.
The controversial Islamic orator and founder of Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation is banned in the United Kingdom and Canada for his “hate speech” aimed at other religions.
“One of the major allegation that’s coming up against Naik is that he has said “urged all Muslims to be terrorists”.
The Daily Star’s reporting was a mere presentation of facts and we regret any misunderstanding between Dr Zakir Naik and this newspaper.
“We are not going into whether Zakir Naik knows Quran or not”.
Advertisement
NOW, DIGGY ATTACKS BJP A day after the BJP targeted him over a 2012 video of him with controversial preacher Zakir Naik, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday chose to go on the offensive.
