Fadnavis orders police probe into preacher Naik's speeches, writings

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday ordered a probe into the speeches, writings and other materials of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, president of Islamic Research Foundation, an official said here.

Mumbai Police Commissioner D. Padsalgikar has been directed to conduct the probe and submit a report to the state government, said the official from the chief minister's office.

The enquiry follows mounting pressures from various quarters after Naik was accused of making inflammatory speeches which allegedly inspired the recent Bangladesh terror attacks.

Several Muslim organizations also have reacted in the matter with the Raza Academy staging a noisy protest outside the IRF's offices in Dongri this afternoon.

"We are protesting against Naik for his fiery speeches, what he promotes.. this is not the way to teach or propagate the spread of Islam. He should be banned," said Raza Academy founder-secretary M. Saeed Noori.

The protestors also condemned the recent spate of terror attacks globally including Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh and said Islam promotes and teaches peace.

"The perpetrators of such terror acts are not Muslims. Islam is a peaceful religion," Noori said.

Born and living in Mumbai, the 50-year old Naik is a qualified doctor who left the medical profession to found the IRF which runs the Islamic International School and NGO United Islamic Aid for poor and destitute.

Considered an authority on "comparative religion", Naik is the founder of Peace Television channel, Peace TV Bangla and Peace TV Urdu, and Dawah which invites people to understand Islam through dialogue.

Earlier on Thursday, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting M. Venkaiah Naidu indicated that Naik could face action if his preachings and teachings were found to be objectionable.

On Wednesday, Shiv Sena MP from Mumbai Arvind Sawant sought a ban on Naik's speeches and movement as well as his television channels, to prevent him from making provocative speeches.

--IANS

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