Action against Zakir Naik shows Centre's zero tolerance of terrorism: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) on Saturday said the Centre has displayed zero tolerance against terrorism after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at 10 premises of the NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) run by Zakir Naik in Mumbai.

"If the government has gone ahead as per the legal framework available. Taken any action, I can't see any reason why anyone would like to find fault with such action being taken specially in regard to national interest," said BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli.

"People would like to seen on the side of national interest, on the side of humanity, against terrorism or any kind of thought that promotes it directly or indirectly kind of violence thinking," he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said "all these yester days and all these months preceded, there were investigations done in this regard and today as per the promise of the government that zero tolerance against terrorism and India should move in a peaceful direction . Whatever is being done is a welcome sign."

Teams of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with the Mumbai Police, on Saturday morning launched raids on 10 premises of Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) run by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik.

An NIA spokesperson told ANI that the premises were raided at 6 a.m. with the help of local police.

"We are searching a few residential premises and a few office premises of Zakir Naik," said the spokesperson.

The NIA had on Friday registered a case against Naik and others under sections 10 (Penalty for being member of an unlawful association) and 13 (Punishment for unlawful activities) and other various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), said the spokesperson.

The Union Government had on Tuesday declared the IRF as an "outlawed organisation" under the anti-terror law for its alleged terror activities, following which the Maharashtra Government said it would keep a close eye on locals and organisations funding the IRF and would be treated as "anti-social elements".

However, the IRF said it would be arguing before a Central government tribunal against the validity of the ban imposed on it and invoking of the UAPA.

Some of the youths from Mumbai suburbs, who had left their home to join Islamic State earlier this year, were also allegedly inspired by the preacher.