The community members on Saturday came out and raised slogans against Naik and other extremist leaders. “Protest march against terrorism”, read the banner.
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The Cabinet committee took the decision to ban the channel after allegations rose that Zakir Naik’s preaching was “inspiring acts of terrorism”.
Burhan, was killed near Anantnag in south Kashmir following an intelligence-led police operation along with two other militants on Friday afternoon, had recently tweeted a photo of Naik.
Muslim clerics from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, meanwhile, want the popular preacher arrested, with a blanket ban on his TV network Peace TV.
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.
A war of petitions for and against the controversial Islamist preacher Zakir Naik has broken out online.
Earlier in the day, security personnel were also deployed outside Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation office but a Mumbai police official told Times Of India that the deployment of force was just a “precautionary measure”.
The provision when incorporated under the UAPA will empower the Government to ban provocative or controversial speakers whose speeches have the potential to inspire people towards terror.
“In 2008, we sent a report to government questioning Zaki Naik ‘s source of funding and speeches”.
On July 1, two of the seven young militants, who struck at an upscale cafe in Dhaka’s diplomatic Gulshan enclave, were reportedly inspired by the Salafi tele-evangelist’s speeches. “There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged anyone to kill another persons – Muslim or non-Muslim”, said Naik, who has been banned in a few countries, inlcuding the UK, Malaysia and Canada. Naik is seen articulating that Islam never supported killing of innocent human beings, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.
Addressing a press conference here, IUML MP and former minister E T Mohammed Basheer said, “Naik is an advocate of peace theory in Islam”.
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Digvijay has defended himself, saying if there was any evidence against the preacher, then the Indian and Bangladeshi governments should take action against him.
