New Delhi: The Central government on Tuesday banned controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) for five years with immediate effect.
The Union Cabinet decided to declare Dr Naik’s IRF an outlawed organisation and slammed a ban on the NGO for a period of five years under Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA). The decision has been taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A formal notification will be issued by the Home Ministry soon.
The move comes after investigation by the Home Ministry found the NGO was allegedly having dubious links with Peace TV, an international Islamic channel, accused of propagating terrorism and Dr Naik, who heads the IRF, has allegedly made many provocative speeches and engaged in terror propaganda.
Maharashtra Police has also registered criminal cases against Naik for his alleged involvement in radicalisation of youths and luring them into terror activities, officials said.
An educational trust run by Naik has already been prevented from receiving foreign funds and agencies are looking into their activities.
He came under the scanner of the security agencies after Bangladeshi newspaper ‘Daily Star’ reported that one of the perpetrators of the July 1 terror attack in Dhaka, Rohan Imtiaz, ran propaganda on Facebook last year quoting Naik.
The Islamic orator is banned in the UK and Canada for his hate speech aimed against other religions. He is among 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia.