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Controversial Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik faced more heat on Thursday with the Centre saying “appropriate action” will be taken against him over his speeches that were reported to have inspired some of the Dhaka attackers, calling it “highly objectionable”.
As Mumbai-based Naik came under the scanner, senior Congress leader Digivjay Singh was in the BJP’s line of fire after a 2012 video surfaced showing him share a dais with the 50-year-old televangelist at an event to promote communal harmony.
Centre to study speeches“The Home Ministry will study (his speeches). It will take appropriate action after studying them. His speeches, as being reported in the media, are highly objectionable,” the new Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters. Naidu’s remarks came a day after Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju hinted at action against the preacher for allegedly glorifying terrorist acts by Muslims. Naik had on Wednesday asserted that his speech on Islam and terror had been taken out of context.
Naik’s speeches are believed to have inspired some of the Bangladeshi militants involved in last week’s terror attack at an upscale restaurant in Dhaka which claimed22 people, mostly foreigners.
Digvijay’s defenceDigvijay Singh, who was seen praising Naik in the 2012 video, defended himself, saying if there was any evidence against the preacher, then the Indian and Bangladeshi governments should take action against him. In the video, Singh told Naik that he should take his message of peace world over.
Naik for his part released a statement, saying he “totally disagreed” that he inspired the act of killing innocent people in Dhaka. “There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged one to kill another, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.”
Maharashtra orders probe“I have asked the Mumbai Police Commissioner to conduct a probe (into Naik’s speeches) and submit a report,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told PTI .
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, who also holds the Home portfolio.
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