Centre to act against controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik

New Delhi: The Central government on Thursday said appropriate action would be taken against controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for speeches that may have influenced the Dhaka attackers.

It said the speeches were  highly objectionable. “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 the media.

Mr Naidu’s remarks come a day after minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju hinted at action against the preacher after looking into whether Mr Naik through his speeches glorifies terrorist acts by Muslims.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday directed the Mumbai police commissioner to investigate and submit a report on Mr Naik. An official from the home department confirmed the development that the chief minister has told the city commissioner to investigate the preacher.

The direction comes amid reports that one of the terrorists who attacked an upmarket restaurant in the Bangladeshi capital a few days ago, killing 22 people, was inspired by sermons of the 50-year-old Mumbai-based Islamic scholar.

However, Zakir Naik asserted that his speech on Islam and terror have been taken out of context and claimed he had only said Muslims should terrorise anti-social elements.

“Many of the news channels in India are showing a clipping where I am saying that every Muslim should be a terrorist. Whenever anyone wants to malign me, they show the clipping. This clipping, yes, it is me saying it, but it is out of context. I said a terrorist is a person who terrorises someone. I also gave an example that a policeman terrorises a robber. So, for a robber, a policeman is a terrorist. In this context, every Muslim should be a terrorist to the anti-social element,” Zakir Naik, who is in Mecca, said.

On Thursday, security personnel were deployed outside Naik’s ‘Islamic Research Foundation’ office at Dongri area in South Mumbai as a precautionary measure in the wake of the escalating row over his speeches.

Earlier, in the day, members of Raza Academy, a city-based Muslim institution, held protests outside the Khatri Masjid in Pydhonie area in south Mumbai against Naik, seeking immediate ban on his Peace TV and his foundation.

“The members of the organisation observed Eid by tying green ribbons on their arms as a mark of protest against the recent bombings at Medina,” president of Raza Academy Saeed Noori said.