Central govt bans Zakir Naik's NGO for 5 years
According to the home ministry, Naik, who heads the IRF, has allegedly made many provocative speeches.
New Delhi: The Central government has declared controversial preacher Zakir Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation as an unlawful organisation under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for a period of five years. The decision was cleared by the Cabinet, which met on Tuesday evening, following a proposal from the home ministry.
The home ministry had earlier sought a legal opinion from the law ministry on the issue and there was a view that IRF could be banned under the UAPA. Following this, a detailed proposal was sent to the Union Cabinet which gave its consent on Tuesday.
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, the official said.
According to the home ministry, Naik, who heads the IRF, has allegedly made many provocative speeches and engaged in terror propaganda.
Multiple agencies, both from the Centre as well as Maharashtra government, were carrying investigations into the activities of IRF amid reports that organisation was involved in religious conversion and that some speeches of Mr Naik were inciting people.
An educational trust run by Naik have already been prevented from receiving foreign funds and agencies are looking into its activities. Earlier, the home ministry had also cancelled IRF’s registration for receiving foreign donations also and had put it under the prior permission category. Mr Naik and IRF’s role had first come under the scanner following a terror attack at an upmarket restaurant in Dhaka earlier this year as one of the attackers had claimed that he was influenced by Mr Naik’s speeches.
Sources said now that IRF has been declared an outlawed organisation it will not be able to carryout any activity in the country and all its offices will have to be shut with immediate effect. The ban is for a period of five years following which it will again be reviewed by Centre and if required it will again be extended for a similar period, sources added.