Zakir Naik condemns Dhaka attacks

“His speeches/CDs are being examined and whatever is justified will be done”, Singh told the media here earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, there seems to be more trouble for the televangelist, as his institution, Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) has now come under the scanner of the Home Ministry for alleged misuse of foreign funds to finance radical activities.

He said the Ministry of Home Affairs has been asked to keep track of any such broadcast and report to the I&B ministry for appropriate action.

A Malaysian mufti is among scores of religious figures and leaders in Malaysia who has come to the defence of Muslim preacher Zakir Naik, rejecting allegations that the Islamic scholar preaches terrorism after media reports claimed he had motivated the militants responsible for last week’s terror attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

“As far as government is concerned, we will not compromise on terrorism at any cost”. “We will probe whether foreign funds were diverted by IRF for propoganda and to inspire young men to join terrorist outfits”, a senior MHA official said, adding that they can suspend its licence in case of violations.

Government today made a decision to crack the whip on telecast by unauthorised channels, warning cable operators of action if norms were violated, a move that comes amid the escalating controversy over Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s speeches on “Peace TV”. “We are not going to take this lying down”, said party spokesman Tom Vadakkan.

After the Bangladesh government requested New Delhi to examine the content of his sermons, the government is all set to take strict action against those airing his channel Peace TV, according to a report by NDTV. “District monitoring committees would monitor telecast of such sermons and if necessary action will be taken and telecast by unauthorised channels will be stopped”, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore told reporters after a meeting.

Naik yesterday released a statement, saying he “totally disagreed” that he inspired the act of killing innocent people in Dhaka. “There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged one to kill another, whether Muslim or non-Muslim”, he said.

Hitting back at BJP for targeting him over sharing dais with Islamic scholar Dr Zakir Naik, Congress leader Digvijay Singh today raked up the issue of BJP leader Rajnath Singh’s alleged meeting with 2008 Malegaon blast accused Pragya Thakur.

Condemning government for initiating probe against his work he also said, “The question is not only of Dr Naik as an individual”.