Students of Zakir Naik's Islamic International School are under mental stress: Abu Azmi

Alleging that the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) run by controversial televangelist Dr Zakir Naik was banned on wrong grounds, Samajwadi Party legislator and Maharashtra unit chief Abu Asim Azmi demanded that the state must ensure that the students in the organisation's school were not adversely affected. 

Last month, the Centre banned the IRF under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for five years. Naik has been accused of allegedly making hate speeches aimed at other faiths and indulging in the propagation of terror. 

"For the last 25 years, he has held rallies attended by lakhs of people, not just in India but also abroad and enlightened people about religion and helped dispel wrong notions about Islam with evidence. These speeches were held in open grounds and on television. For the last 25 years, no reference to terrorism was seen in his speeches. Since this is an Islamic body, it was banned on wrong grounds," said Azmi, who was speaking in the state legislative assembly on Thursday. 

The legislator from the Mankhurd- Shivajinagar constituency said that the Islamic International School run by the preacher had a staff of 100 and the NIA had sealed its bank accounts. This had led to staff members being deprived of salaries and students of their breakfast. "Parents and children are under mental stress," said Azmi. 

"Their studies must continue... any organisation must be banned on the basis of evidence and not hatred," said Azmi.