Controversial Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on Thursday faced more heat with the government 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 Digivjaya Singh was in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) line of fire after a 2012 video, featuring him share a dais with 50-year-old Naik and praising him at an event to promote communal harmony, surfaced on Thursday.
Security personnel were deployed outside Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation office in the Dongri area of South Mumbai as a precautionary measure in the wake of the escalating row over his alleged hate 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,” said Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.
Naidu’s remarks came a day after Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju hinted at action against the preacher, after looking into whether Naik through his speeches glorified terrorist acts by Muslims.
Naik had on Wednesday asserted that his speech on Islam and terror was taken out of context and claimed that he had only said Muslims should terrorise anti-social elements.
Naik’s speeches are believed to have inspired some of the Bangladeshi militants, who killed 22 people, mostly foreigners, at an upscale restaurant in Dhaka last Friday.
Meanwhile, Digvijaya 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. “I have appealed for communal harmony and opposed religious fundamentalism and terrorism by either Hindus or Muslims,” the Congress veteran said.
However, the BJP was quick to target Singh and also demanded action against Naik, saying he was a “threat” to national security as it was clear from his speeches that he “incited” people.
“Terrorism is the enemy of humanity. Anybody who directly or indirectly abets it is guilty. People like him (Naik) are a threat to our national security. Government agencies should decide on action against him under the existing legal system. It is clear that he incited people,” said party national secretary Shrikant Sharma.
He added, “It is in the Congress’ character to politicise and glorify terrorism. Its leaders used terms like Hafiz saab and Osama ji for terrorists.”
“They even questioned the sacrifice of inspector Mohan Chand Sharma in the Batla House encounter and claimed that their president Sonia Gandhi cried the whole night over the killings (of terrorists) in the encounter,” Sharma added.
Defending Singh, Congress chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said his senior colleague had himself clarified that he only appealed for peace, harmony and brotherhood.
Surjewala said the NDA government should take decisive action against Naik or any other individual or organisation found indulging in anti-India activities. “There is no place in our society for obscurantist & extremist thoughts.
The Congress has always fought the forces of hate and division, who have threatened India’s integrity,” he added.