New Delhi: Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on Friday called ban on him and his Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) a ‘premeditated’ attack by the Narendra Modi government and said that demonetisation was unleashed to deflect media attention from ‘attacks on Indian Muslims’.
Naik is currently in Saudi Arabia. In a ‘second letter to India’, he alleged that the entire investigation was conducted without giving him a chance to explain himself.
It was flawlessly timed as the country reeled under the self-imposed cash crunch, he said.
“For the public that is starved for cash, for trade and basic amenities, one cannot expect much of resistance," Naik said in the letter.
The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday asked banks to freeze accounts belonging to him and IRF which has been banned under the anti-terror law.
NIA had registered a case against Naik, IRF and unnamed office bearers of the foundation under section 153-A of IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), besides various sections of anti-terror law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Attacking the government for ‘selectively applying a draconian law’ like that of the UAPA to ‘silence the minority groups’, Naik said that political leaders making ‘inflammatory statements on Muslims’ were being given a free hand.
“The law does not seem to apply to the likes of Rajeshwar Singh, Yogi Adityanath and Sadhvi Prachi who continue to make inflammatory speeches aimed at inciting communal hatred for mere political mileage," he said.
Though Naik showed faith in the judiciary of the country and vowed to fight his ban, he expressed concern that the move ban him emanated from a “deeper, sinister agenda". Naik said that this attack on him must be seen as an attack on the democratic fabric of the constitution and Indian Muslims.
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