Won’t return to India this year, says Zakir

Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on July 15 claimed that he did not inspire any terrorist.

Zakir Naik is in the spotlight after one of the Dhaka attackers reportedly said that he consumed the preachings of the scholar while Zakir naik refutes such allegations.

In his sermons, Naik has said that it is a sin to worship gods other than Allah and likened interfaith marriages to a vehicle that has the wheel of a farm tractor and another of a bicycle.

Naik also said that he is willing to cooperate with investigating agenicie, if need be.

Controversial Islamic televangelist Zakir Naik today denied having any links with terrorists and claimed he was being targeted for running an Islamic channel, Peace TV, which has been banned by the government. He added, “I am asking the I&B ministry – why have they not given downlinking rights to Peace TV?”. I am always ready for any kind of cooperation.

“There are some other speakers on Islam who preach that when you kill others or non-Muslims, you will attain paradise”.

“Knowingly I have never met any terrorist, but if some people stand next to me and take photographs, I smile”.

Naik also spoke in detail about his travel plans. “I wonder why the Indian media which started a trial against me based on one single report do the same after the Bangladeshi publication retracted the story”, said the televangelist while interacting with the media through Skype from overseas on Friday for the first time after the controversy arose.

He said that his answers were altered and misguided people, adding those who did that shall be held responsible.

– If my speeches are not provocative then why are they are banned on Peace TV.

Naik, the subject of a police inquiry since it was reported that two of the terrorists who took hostages in Dhaka two weeks ago had drawn inspiration from his sermons, began the press conference by offering condolences for the victims of Friday’s carnage in Nice, France. “Unknowingly I may have”.

Prachi maintained that there was “evidence” to link him with the recent terror attacks in Dhaka that saw 20 foreigners, among them a 19-year-old Indian girl called Tarishi Jain, die in one of two assaults that occurred nearly back-to-back.