Zakir Naik on radar of intelligence agencies
07 July, New Delhi
As reports have surfaced that two of the seven militants, who slaughtered 20 people in a cafe in the Bangladesh capital Dhaka, was inspired by Muslim preacher Zakir Naik, the controversial televangelist is now on radar of intelligence agencies, according to sources.
Naik, a 50-year-old Mumbai-based doctor-turned-preacher, hogged headlines after the Daily Star reported that Militant Rohan Imtiaz propagated on Facebook last year quoting Naik “urging all Muslims to be terrorists”.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has asked the Indian government to examine the content of speeches of Naik, who claims to have more than one crore followers on Facebook.Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said there had been complaints in past as well from Maulanas (priests) of Dhaka that speeches of Naik were not conducive for peace.
Inu said the investigation to ascertain up to what extent Dhaka cafe terrorists were influenced by Naik is on in Bangladesh. “I also urge Indian government and my counterpart to examine the content of Naik’s teachings,” the Bangladesh Minister said.
As the chorus grew in India for banning Naik, who regularly appears on a TV channel named as Peace TV, BJP ally Shiv Sena yesterday sought action against Naik “in the interests of the country.”In a letter written to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant urged him to put a ban on Naik and his organisation, the Islamic Research Foundation.
Talking to reporters last afternoon, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said it was not fine for him to announce banning of Naik, adding that a final call will be taken by the law and agencies.
On the other hand, Naik, who is said to be in Saudi Arabia for religious pilgrimage, had said he was against Islamic State, which had claimed the responsibility of the cafe siege in Dhaka.On his remark “all Muslims should be terrorists,” Naik, in a telephonic Interview to News18, said the video that shows him so is doctored and that the Home Ministry is most welcome to go through his speeches.
Naik, a sharp orator, is banned in several countries including UK, Canada and Malaysia for his religious sermons but is hugely popular in Bangladesh and other Muslim countries for the same reason. Militants killed 20 people, including at least nine Italians and seven Japanese and an Indian national, inside an upmarket restaurant in Bangladesh’s capital late on Friday, before security forces stormed the building and ended the 12-hour standoff.