TMC plays safe, maintains distance against Idris Ali's statement on Zakir Naik

Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday issued a clarification on party leader Idris Ali's statement against the ban on controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, saying that Ali had made the remark without the party's consent.

A statement released by TMC Spokesperson, Derek O'Brein said that, "My colleague, Idris Ali, MP, has been cautioned for making a statement without the consent of the party. The issue he commented on is a sensitive one and has not been discussed by us internally. The party will have a discussion on the subject and then form an opinion."

Earlier today TMC leader and a Member of Parliament had said that banning Naik will be fruitless as his speeches' does not support terrorism.

"This is my personal opinion, I have listened to Zakir Naik's speeches and I don't think his speeches ever supported terrorism. I don't think we should ban him. He will get more publicity if we ban him," Ali told ANI.

The TMC leader's remark came post Bangladesh's move to ban the broadcasting of Peace TV following reports that one of the militants of Dhaka terror attack was inspired by Naik's misinterpretations of Islam.

Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, 51, is an Islamic preacher, who founded the Islamic Research Foundation in 1991 when he started Dawah or religious preaching.

Naik is banned in UK and Canada and is among 16 banned scholars in Malaysia.