Zakir Naik banned for 5 more years

Story by ATV | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 16-11-2021

Zakir Naik (File)

New Delhi

The center has extended the ban on the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), set up by Zakir Naik, who has been living in Malaysia to evade arrest in India, for five years.

His organization stands accused of instigating Muslim youths in India and abroad to commit terror acts, and it was banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, in 2016.

Naik’s role came under the scanner in the wake of the 2016 Dhaka bombing, in which 20 persons including 17 foreigners were killed, in a Cafe. One of the accused in the case had claimed he was inspired by Naik's preachings on his Peace TV that has since been banned.

Naik is accused of spreading hatred among communities through his Peace TV and on social media where he has over 20 million followers,

In a late-night notification, the Home Ministry said that the IRF has been indulging in activities that are prejudicial to the security of the country and have the potential of disturbing the peace and communal harmony and disrupting the secular fabric of the country and hence declared unlawful under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA.

Investigators have quoted two Kerala youths who have joined the Islamic State of Khorasan in Afghanistan they were inspired to join the global terror group after meeting Naik.

Zakir Naik’s name also figured in the deadly Easter bombings of Sri Lanka as one of the key leaders of the National Thowheeth Jama’ath, the perpetrator of the crime that killed 250 persons had praised Naik.

In its notification, the home ministry said it thinks that the IRF and its members, particularly founder and president Zakir Abdul Karim Naik alias Zakir Naik, have been encouraging and aiding its followers to promote or attempt to promote, on grounds of religion, disharmony, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious communities and groups which are prejudicial to the integrity and security of the country, it said.

The home ministry said the statements and speeches made by Naik are objectionable and subversive and through them, he has been promoting enmity and hatred among religious groups and inspiring youths of a particular religion in India and abroad to commit terrorist acts.

Naik also makes radical statements and speeches to millions of people worldwide through international satellite TV networks, the Internet, print, and social media, it said.

The central government is further of the opinion that if the unlawful activities of the IRF are not curbed and controlled immediately, it will take the opportunity to continue its subversive activities and re-organize its activists who are still absconding, it said.

The ministry said Naik’s activities will disrupt the secular fabric of the country by polluting the minds of the people by creating communal disharmony, propagating anti-national sentiments, escalating secessionism by supporting militancy and some people may undertake activities that are prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity, and security of the country.

The notification said that the central government is also of the opinion that about the activities of the IRF, it is necessary to declare it an unlawful association with immediate effect.

It is interesting to note that while Malaysia has strictly banned Naik from preaching from its land. India has been asking for his extradition.

In India, the National Investigation Agency and the Enforcement Directorate have filed several cases against Naik.