Probe Zakir Naik’s speeches: CM
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday ordered a probe into alleged inflammatory speeches made by Mumbai-based Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. The directive comes amid reports that one of the terrorists who attacked an upmarket restaurant in Dhaka last week, killing 22 people, was inspired by speeches of the 50-year-old preacher, who has been banned in several countries.
It has also emerged that the Daesh’s Hyderabad module chief Ibrahim Yazdani, who was arrested recently by the National Investigating Agency, had allegedly attended a 10-day conclave organised by Naik.
“I have asked the Mumbai police commissioner to conduct a probe into Naik’s speeches and submit a report,” Fadnavis said. Naik’s speeches, his social media accounts, and the sources of funding of a foundation run by him in Mumbai will be scrutinised, Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said. “I have received the directives from the CM, and the Mumbai Police’s Special Branch has launched the investigation,” Police Commissioner Dattatraya Padsalgikar said, even as cops were deployed outside Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation office at Dongri as a precautionary measure.
TOTALLY AGAINST TERRORISM: NAIK
Facing heat over the ‘hate speech’ that reportedly inspired one of the terrorists involved in the Dhaka attack, Naik issued a statement on Thursday, saying his line – “all Muslims should become terrorists” -- has been taken out of context. He claimed that he was “totally against terrorism and the killing of innocent humans”.
Naik, who is in Mecca for Umrah, said, “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.”
Clarifying the comment, he said, “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 antisocial elements,” Naik said. Rubbishing a Bangladeshi newspaper report that he inspired one of the Dhaka carnage perpetrators, Naik sought to put the blame on “other speakers who misguide Muslims in the name of Islam”.
“Regarding me being shocked that a Bangladeshi was inspired by me, I would say no, I wasn’t shocked... I agree I do inspire people close to Islam, but every fan may not follow everything what I say. Once a person comes close to Islam, there are possibilities he starts hearing other speakers,” he said.
“Today, as we are aware, there are some people who misguide Muslims and in the name of Islam, they encourage them to kill innocent people, which is totally against the Quran,” he added.
“I totally disagree that I inspired this act of killing innocent people. There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged one to kill another, whether Muslim or non-Muslim,” Naik said.
It has also emerged that the Daesh’s Hyderabad module chief Ibrahim Yazdani, who was arrested recently by the National Investigating Agency, had allegedly attended a 10-day conclave organised by Naik.
“I have asked the Mumbai police commissioner to conduct a probe into Naik’s speeches and submit a report,” Fadnavis said. Naik’s speeches, his social media accounts, and the sources of funding of a foundation run by him in Mumbai will be scrutinised, Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said. “I have received the directives from the CM, and the Mumbai Police’s Special Branch has launched the investigation,” Police Commissioner Dattatraya Padsalgikar said, even as cops were deployed outside Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation office at Dongri as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, members of the Raza Academy, a city-based Muslim institution, held protests outside the Khatri Masjid in Pydhonie against Naik, seeking immediate ban on Dubai-based Peace TV, which telecasts his speeches, and his foundation.
TOTALLY AGAINST TERRORISM: NAIK
Facing heat over the ‘hate speech’ that reportedly inspired one of the terrorists involved in the Dhaka attack, Naik issued a statement on Thursday, saying his line – “all Muslims should become terrorists” -- has been taken out of context. He claimed that he was “totally against terrorism and the killing of innocent humans”.
Naik, who is in Mecca for Umrah, said, “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.”
Clarifying the comment, he said, “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 antisocial elements,” Naik said. Rubbishing a Bangladeshi newspaper report that he inspired one of the Dhaka carnage perpetrators, Naik sought to put the blame on “other speakers who misguide Muslims in the name of Islam”.
“Regarding me being shocked that a Bangladeshi was inspired by me, I would say no, I wasn’t shocked... I agree I do inspire people close to Islam, but every fan may not follow everything what I say. Once a person comes close to Islam, there are possibilities he starts hearing other speakers,” he said.
“Today, as we are aware, there are some people who misguide Muslims and in the name of Islam, they encourage them to kill innocent people, which is totally against the Quran,” he added.
“I totally disagree that I inspired this act of killing innocent people. There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged one to kill another, whether Muslim or non-Muslim,” Naik said.
