New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that controversial Islamist preacher Zakir Naik’s speeches are being examined, after it emerged that two of the Dhaka café attacker who had hacked 20 people to death were inspired by him.
“His (Zakir Naik) speeches/CDs are being examined, whatever is justified will be done. As far as Govt of India is concerned, we will not compromise on terrorism at any cost,” said Rajnath Singh.
According to MHA sources, the Centre has asked Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry to re-examine Zakir Naik's speeches to see if any offence was made out.
Read: Bangladesh asks India to examine Zakir Naik's speeches
The Central government earlier called his speeches ‘highly objectionable’.
“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,” new information and broadcasting minister, Venkaiah Naidu had told the media on Thursday.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday directed the Mumbai police commissioner to investigate and submit a report on Mr Naik. An official from the home department confirmed the development that the chief minister has told the city commissioner to investigate the preacher.
Read: Cops at Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik’s Mumbai office as protective measure
One of the Dhaka attackers had even cited a speech by Naik and said he was inspired by sermons of the 50-year-old Mumbai-based Islamic scholar.
However, Zakir Naik asserted that his speech on Islam and terror have been taken out of context and claimed he had only said Muslims should terrorise anti-social elements.
Read: Video of Zakir Naik explaining how to prevent rape does rounds on social media
“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. 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 the anti-social element,” Zakir Naik, who is in Mecca, said.
Read: Facing heat, Zakir Naik posts video condemning ‘all forms of terrorism’
On Thursday, security personnel were deployed outside Naik’s ‘Islamic Research Foundation’ office at Dongri area in South Mumbai as a precautionary measure in the wake of the escalating row over his speeches.
