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Bangladeshi, Indian religious leaders back ban on hate preacher

Televangelist thought to have inpired Dhaka attackers taken off air in many parts of the Muslim world
Bangladeshi, Indian religious leaders back ban on hate preacher

Relatives and friends of two victims of a bloody attack on an upscale restaurant in Dhaka mourn their death during their funeral in Dhaka on July 4, 2016. Bangladesh and India have banned the broadcasting of controversial preacher, Zakir Naik’s Peace TV after it emerged some of the preachers speeches inspired the attackers. (Photo by AFP) 

Published: July 12, 2016 05:22 AM GMT
Updated: July 12, 2016 10:42 AM GMT

Church officials have joined other religious leaders in Bangladesh and India to support a government ban on the broadcasting of controversial preacher, Zakir Naik’s Peace TV.

The ban was in response to media reports alleging that Naik’s "provocative speeches" inspired the terrorists behind the Dhaka cafe attack on July 1, which left 20 people, including 17 foreigners, dead.

"The government has the right to ban Zakir Naik’s preaching as it has been revealed that some of the militants followed him [on social media]," Father Joyanto S. Gomes, secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Social Communication Commission told ucanews.com. "This is a logical move."

Any man who praised Osama Bin Laden, can also be blamed for encouraging militancy, the priest said.

"We can’t make the wholesale claim that anyone who listens to Zakir Naik’s lectures will be immediately radicalized," Father Gomes said. "But there is every reason to believe his radical thoughts have negatively influenced many Muslims, especially young people."

The decision to ban Peace TV was taken during a special security meeting involving various government ministries and law enforcement agencies on July 10 and took effect on July 11.

"[Naik] has connections with Lashkar-e-Taiba and other terror organizations in Pakistan," Bangladesh's Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, who chaired the meeting told reporters in Dhaka after the meeting. "For this reason countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the United States have banned it … I know India will also be banning it."

Born in Mumbai, Naik, 50, is a medical doctor turned televangelist. He is the founder of the Islamic Research Foundation and the Dubai-based Peace TV. The channel broadcasts his radical Islamic preaching in English, Urdu and Bengali languages around the clock.

Naik has over 14 million followers worldwide, according to his Facebook page, with the largest chunk, an estimated 4 million, hailing from Bangladesh.

Naik is a preacher of radical Salafi Islam and is infamous for condoning the killing of gay people. He also once questioned whether Osama Bin Laden was a terrorist. Naik is banned from traveling to the United Kingdom and Canada.

Controversy shot up last week, when local media reported two of the five suspected militants followed Naik and one of the attackers, Rohan Imtiaz quoted him in a Facebook post urging all Muslims "to become terrorists."

Prominent Islamic cleric, Maolana Fariduddin Masoud said Zakir Naik and Peace TV should have been banned years ago.

"For years, we have called on the government to ban Zakir Naik and Peace TV as they have contributed to radicalization in Bangladesh," Masoud told ucanews.com. "Banning is not enough, the government should investigate his role and hand down punishment if he is found guilty of encouraging terrorism."

However, the cleric says he is doubtful whether the government can curb militancy by merely banning radical preachers and monitoring mosques.

"The government must trace the roots of militancy; where these radicals are born and brought up and who finances them," he added.

Govinda Chandra Pramanik, secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Grand Alliance also supported the ban, saying it is the "right decision."

"Islam is plagued with radicalism and individuals like Zakir Naik are spreading it," Pramanik told ucanews.com. "This has inspired … the killing of non-Muslims as well as good, liberal Muslims."

 

Crackdown on Naik in India

The crackdown on Zakir Naik and Peace TV has already begun in neighboring India. 

As soon as it was revealed that two of the Islamist militants involved in the July 1 attacks in Dhaka were followers of Naik on social media, accusations surfaced that the Indian televangelist played a role in inspiring them.

Dhaka, reportedly, urged New Delhi to check Naik’s past speeches and social media content to see if any of it was inflammatory. In response, India hinted that it would act against Naik.

India’s junior home affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said that Naik’s speeches were a "matter of concern" and that Indian "agencies were working on it."

Following an order from India’s Home Ministry, nine teams from India’s National Investigation Agency, Intelligence Bureau and other security agencies began work on the issue.

While some agencies are scanning the content of Naik’s past speeches and social media activities, others are inquiring into the funding of his Mumbai-based, Islamic Research Foundation.

Although the investigation by Indian agencies has yet to be complete, Peace TV has already been blocked in many parts of the country since July 9.

With India’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry not permitting the broadcasting of Peace TV in India, many Indian cable operators have started downloading the channel's programs illegally to meet the demand of their Muslim subscribers.

It’s not clear yet if the ministry will act against cable operators illegally downloading Peace TV.

Maulana Mohammad Naseeruddin, a leader of the southern Indian Telangana state-based Muslim organization, Wahdat e Islami (Islamic Unity) said that the planned action by the Indian government against Naik is a signal that many Islamic scholars in the country will be bullied into silence.

"We view this government action as an attempt to intimidate all Muslims of the country," Maulana Naseeruddin said via telephone. "It is not true that Zakir Naik supported terrorism or incited anyone to turn violent. He would be exonerated in a court of law."

Ajay Nandi, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (world assembly of Hindus) leader in Kolkata, said that he was happy with the government’s move.

"Zakir Naik habitually belittles non-Muslim faiths. It is unfair and … causes tension in multi-religious society," Nandi said.

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