Zakir Naik’s speeches were against Hindu gods: Home Ministry

NEW DELHI: The home ministry cited statements and speeches by Zakir Naik that were “objectionable and subversive in nature”, including extolling Osama bin Laden and “posting objectionable comments against Hindu gods” and other religions, while imposing a five-year ban on an NGO led by the television evangelist.

On Tuesday, the Union Cabinet approved the ban on Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The notification issued by the home ministry two days after the cabinet nod said Naik’s “ideology is against India’s pluralistic and secular social fabric and it may be viewed as dissatisfaction against India and thereby making it an unlawful activity”.

Naik has been under the scanner after his name cropped up during the probe into the July 1 Dhaka attack. The ministry listed also five cases registered by Kerala and Maharashtra police where Naik and his NGO have been named.

In the first set of cases registered at Vengurla , Sawantwadi and Mumbai in Maharashtra from 2012-13, Naik has been chargesheeted for allegedly making derogatory statements against Hindu gods, the MHA order said.

The two cases registered in Kerala, now being investigated by the National Investigation Agency, relate to Naik and his outfit’s alleged role in encouraging and aiding Muslim youths to join the Islamic State.

“Naik has been proclaiming that every Muslim should be a terrorist and claiming if Islam had indeed wanted, 80% of Indian population would not have remained Hindus as they could have been converted ‘if we wanted’ by sword,” it said.

Without directly referring to the Dhaka attack, the order said: “Statements of some terrorists arrested in the terrorist attack incidents or arrested ISIS sympathisers revealed that they were inspired by the fundamentalist statements of Dr Zakir Naik.”