Panaji, July 11 : Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik should be booked immediately even if processes to ban his TV channel and organisation may take time, the Congress’s Rajya Sabha member from Goa, Shantaram Naik, demanded on Monday.
Addressing a press conference here, he criticised the central government for what he views as delay in filing a first information report (FIR) against Zakir Naik, whose speeches allegedly inspired two of the militants who carried out the July 1 terror attack on Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka that left 22 persons killed.
“I do not know if the central home ministry has conducted a study. If proper study had been done, then an FIR could have been filed. Have they not got a copy of any speech in which he commented against any community or religion? Does it take so much time,” Shantaram Naik said.
“I can understand that to ban a (TV) channel or an association, you need time to investigate. But to find out whether the person’s speech creates communal hatred or not does not require time,” the Congress leader said.
Zakir Naik has denied the charge that his speeches fuel radical Islam and even instigate terrorism. The Union Home Ministry has started an investigation into his activities.
The Congress leader said one of the speeches delivered by Zakir Naik that he listened to did not seem “right”.
“If you examine the speeches, you will realise what he has said about a particular community. I heard (him saying) that there should only be one religion and the rest should come under its wing. This is not right, is it?” Shantaram Naik said.
Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray demanded that the law must treat Islamic preacher Zakir Naik “as equal” with the Hindu activists, and he should be booked for spreading social unrest.
“It is now clear who is spreading social unrest. Until now, the Hindu activists were suspect and subjected to thorough investigations. Now, the same must be applicable to Naik,” Thackeray said in a statement here on Monday afternoon.
Pointing out that the Shiv Sena had made its stand on the issue clear even through its mouthpiece Saamana on Monday morning, Thackeray said now it is up to the government to take action.
“Kashmir is burning. The Amarnath Yatra has been suspended. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is in power both at the Centre and in Jammu and Kashmir, must pay immediate attention to this,” Thackeray urged.
He said while we speak about Naik here, Hindus are dying. Despite the presence of the Indian Army there, people have been stuck, they are being attacked, but nobody is paying attention to them, he said. “What is the government doing,” he asked.
Earlier on Monday, in an edit, party mouthpiece Saamana urged the Centre to ignore absconder mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, and instead catch the controversial, Mumbai-based Islamic teacher-preacher Naik for his inflammatory statements.
