Ban on Islamist Zakir Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation extended by 5 years

Editors Comment

• Patriotic citizens of this country feel it is high time that the Centre bans the Jihadi organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) too.

16^th November 2021 : The ban on NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) of Zakir Naik has been extended for another 5 years.

The ban on IRF under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in November 2016 was due to expire. However, since the activities of the IRF have not changed since the time it was banned, the ban was extended.

Ban on Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation extended by 5 years: https://t.co/hl3u6WOwbq

— Oxomiya Jiyori 🇮🇳 (@SouleFacts) November 16, 2021

“Islamic Research Foundation has been indulging in activities, which are prejudicial to the security of the country and have the potential of disturbing peace and communal harmony and disrupting the secular fabric of the country”, Ministry of Home Affairs notification extending the ban said.

The notification said that unless the ban is extended, IRF would spread communal disharmony and anti-national sentiments. It said that IRF would also promote secessionism through its support to militancy and indulge in activities inimical to the sovereignty, integrity and security of India. The notification noted the fact that Zakir Naik has been making radical statements and speeches that are accessible to millions of people through the internet and print media. The Islamist inclinations of Zakir Naik have been well-documented.

In 2016, terrorists involved in the Dhaka blasts had admitted that they were influenced by Zakir’s speeches.

In 2019, Zakir Naik was banned from giving speeches in Malaysia after he made racist comments against Hindus and Chinese Malaysians. He was interrogated for hours for this. Zakir Naik is wanted in India in cases involving money laundering. The Government of India had taken his channel, Peace TV, off the air for peddling hate propaganda