Government tightens noose on Zakir Naik’s NGO

The Union home ministry will soon ban controversial preacher Zakir Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation from receiving foreign funding. The ministry has already sent a notice to the organisation for cancelling its registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act.

The ministry has also started the process for bringing his another NGO, IRF Educational Trust, under the prior permission category, which would prevent the outfit from getting any foreign donations without getting approval from the Centre.

Sources said the decision is taken after investigations carried out by multiple security agencies revealed the IRF is allegedly using the donations for radicalising youth and “inspiring” them for terror activities.

The home ministry’s foreigners division has inadvertently renewed IRF’s FCRA licence in September, following which five officers, including a joint secretary level official, was placed under suspension.

The Centre is also planning further crackdown against the IRF by declaring it an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and will soon approach the Union Cabinet with a formal proposal. According to the draft note, inputs received from intelligence agencies has revealed that Mr Naik has made several provocative speeches while engaging in terror propaganda.

The Maharashtra Police has already registered criminal cases against him for allegedly radicalising youths and luring them into terror activities, sources said.

The preacher is also believed to have transferred IRF’s foreign funds to Peace TV for making “objectionable” programmes, which were apparently made in India. Most of these programmes contained Mr Naik’s hate speeches.

Mr Naik’s activities came under scanner after one of the terrorists involved in an attack at an upmarket Dhaka restaurant in July claimed that he was inspired by the preacher’s speeches and propaganda.