Won't return to India this yr: Naik

He said, "killing innocent people is prohibited in Islam and I condemn all terrorist attacks"

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, facing multiple probes over his alleged provocative speeches, on Friday said he had no plans to return to India this year. He claimed his remarks were “blown out of context” and that he had never inspired any terror activity.

The televangelist, who had cancelled press meets thrice citing pressure from authorities of the venues where they were planned, had an interaction with media via Skype from Saudi Arabia, rubbishing the charge that his sermons had inspired terror activities, including the Dhaka attack.

Stating he was a “messenger of peace”, Naik said, “killing innocent people is prohibited in Islam and I condemn all terrorist attacks”. He said he was a victim of media trial.

Referring to the footage of some of his speeches shown by media following the Dhaka carnage, he said, “Indian media is running a trial against me because of unverified reports. Half sentences being shown, clips being doctored and statements being shown out of context to malign me.”

“It is unethical for the media to not take my answers on face value and doubt me. There are 2,000 sentences in which I condemned terrorism... there may be 10 sentences in which one may take out a double meaning...videos are being doctored for ulterior motives...,” he said.

To a query on the probe by Mumbai police into his speeches, he said, “So far no official government agency has approached me in the last 8-9 days to ask me to cooperate in their investigations. If they do, I will welcome it.”

Meanwhile, the government dismissed as “wrong” Naik’s allegation that Peace TV was denied broadcasting rights for being “Islamic” adding such discrimination never existed in the country and will never be there in the future.

Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the channel, run by Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation, was denied the rights for “not fulfilling due conditions”.